Academy pupils win Innovation Challenge

Pupils from Ballymena Academy are celebrating success in the 2022 Energy Innovation Challenge.
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Mid and East Antrim Council along with the Royal Academy of Engineering has revealed the winners of this year’s Challenge.

As part of the recent NI Apprenticeship Week, Council worked with the Royal Academy of Engineering to bring the Energy Innovation Challenge to local schools whilst promoting the varied career paths available in manufacturing and engineering.

Mayor , Cr William McCaughey, said: “Young people were encouraged to explore ideas that could help improve the lives of people in our community with participants given the chance to win prizes for their school. The winning innovations demonstrated an awareness of the environment and solutions that could benefit the lives and wellbeing of people around the world.”

Mayor Cllr William McCaughey, Ballymena Academy Principal Stephen Black, Mrs Moran and  the winners of the secondary category in the 2022 Energy Innovation Challenge from the school.Mayor Cllr William McCaughey, Ballymena Academy Principal Stephen Black, Mrs Moran and  the winners of the secondary category in the 2022 Energy Innovation Challenge from the school.
Mayor Cllr William McCaughey, Ballymena Academy Principal Stephen Black, Mrs Moran and the winners of the secondary category in the 2022 Energy Innovation Challenge from the school.

The competition was open to primary and secondary schools across the borough with Taylor Stewart, Daniel Hickey and Caoimhe Loughran from Ballymena Academy being named winners in the secondary category while the pupils Seaview Integrated PS, Glenarm won the primary category.

Cr McCaughey said: “This challenge was a fantastic opportunity for young innovators to get their thinking caps on and come up with ideas and solutions that could benefit us all. It was also a perfect opportunity for us to highlight the importance of apprenticeships and innovation whilst promoting the careers of the future and local opportunities.”

Gillian Gregg, Senior Business Development Manager NI Royal Academy of Engineering said she was delighted to work with partners on the Green Innovation Challenge. She said: “Through their innovations all of the applicants demonstrated wonderful commitment to engineering and building a sustainable future for everyone. It’s really encouraging to see such creativity as we work together to help build the next generation of engineering skills, essential to meet regional needs.”