Record number of students attend electronics summer school in Southampton

The fourth annual, and biggest ever, UKESF (UK Electronics Skills Foundation), summer school was hosted by the University of Southampton this month (7 to 11 July).

The UKESF Summer Schools provided prospective electrical and electronic engineering (EEE) students first-hand electronics experience. The five-day course consisted of practical lab work and lectures from academics from UKESF university partners (Cardiff, Edinburgh, Imperial, Manchester, Nottingham, and York) as well as academics from the University of Southampton. There were also field trips to course sponsors Thales and the Science and Technology Facilities Council; offering students the opportunity to gain practical insights into the lives of working electronic engineers across a range of disciplines including aerospace, defence, security, transport, particle physics and space technology.

James Fitzpatrick, 16, from Bournemouth School, said: “I’ve really enjoyed using the lab equipment, which we don’t normally get access to at school. I want to study computer science so it was great to see how the University works and experience going to lectures and halls of residence.â€?

Mary Bennett, 16, from Peter Symonds College, said: “It’s been an awesome few days and I’ve met lots of new people and made some new friends. I knew that I wanted to study engineering at the University of Southampton and after this week, I now know that I want to do electronic engineering.â€?

“These courses are a fantastic way for school students to learn about electronics and to encourage them into degrees valued by an industry that has a range of rewarding careers to offer,â€? said Professor Bashir Al-Hashimi, Associate Dean for Research at the University of Southampton’s Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering. “Since UKESF started, over 30 of our students have been part of the scholarship scheme, undertaking valuable work experience that has informed their career decisions,â€? he adds.

The event was sponsored by a number of world-leading companies that create or rely on electronic systems including ARM, Broadcom Foundation, CSR, Dialog Semiconductor, Imagination Technologies, Jaguar Land Rover, and Thales.