Kao Data team – Faisal, Mike, Lizzy and Chris
A Challenge Day put the wind in the sails of Year 10, as they found out more about sustainable power.
The Challenge Day was devised by our Digital Futures Programme Partner Kao Data, supported by other Digital Futures Partners – AWS, Virtus, Jll, Vertiv, LMG, CNet Training, Ark Data Centres, DataX Connect – who acted as mentors to small groups of students.
The first part of the day asked the students to consider why we need data centres and what the components of a data centre are – how are they powered? What is back up? Why is sustainable power so important? While discussing this with their mentors, the students worked in teams creating a model of a data centre out of paper.
Carrying on the theme of sustainability, task two asked the groups to consider the amount of energy it takes to power a data centre, and consider wind turbine energy which is of course renewable. They were then asked build their own wind-powered turbine – the objective being to create the most DC voltage as possible, using a fan.
The teams demonstrated lots of creativity, with some very different designs. The winning team’s fan generated 2.2 volts, the lowest amount being 0.8.
The final part of the Kao Data Challenge Day saw students using sustainable energy – wind – to build and power a sail car – the winning design being that which travelled the furthest. This was followed by a presentation on the students’ findings of the day and their further understanding of sustainability.
Well done to our winning team, who each won Amazon vouchers
Speaking on the day, students Judah, Ilias and Isa said they: “Loved the practical side of task. It was fun to be able to move around and brainstorm before building our design and then testing them in a competitive way.”
Pat Drew from CNet Training said: “It’s been fun being with them and seeing how engaged they’ve been through the whole process. Giving the students the chance to be creative, to try different things and listen to employers who are out there in the workplace outline what they need from the people they bring into their organisation.”
Thank you to the employers, who gave up their time.
- The Partners for the Digital Futures Programme include Amazon Web Services, ARK Data Centres, CBRE, CNet Training, CyrusOne, Digital Realty, Jll, LMG, Virtus Data Centres, Vertiv and Yondr.
- The Digital Futures Programme has been created to help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to prepare for a career in the digital industries. On this programme students learn transferable as part of their engineering BTEC.
- You can see from the quotes that the people working with our students have very different roles within their respective companies. If your company would be interested in inspiring the future generation and you’d be interested in hearing more about the DFP, please email digitalfutures@alet.org.uk
