After receiving the coveted Queen’s Anniversary Prize for our innovative Space Engineering programme, we caught up with two of the students who went to the ceremony to hear about their experiences.
As one of a handful of educators to receive the prize, the learners were given a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to Buckingham Palace and celebrate the achievements of their course.
What do you enjoy most about the Space Engineering course?
Ellie-Mae: “Space Engineering for me is about the sense of community and friendship between everyone. We become a large group working together during projects, space centre activities, and experiments.”
Rhys: “The Space Engineering Programme has prepared me for university with the assignments in the BTEC and the course knowledge in my A Level subjects. I really enjoy the BTEC part the qualification, mostly the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and product design units.
Why do you think it deserved to be recognised for this award?
Rhys: “I think the course has been recognised for this award because it’s so unique - there is nowhere else you're able to do this combination of qualifications.”
Ellie-Mae: “It's a unique course, we do things that other people are never going to do at Sixth Form. We have trips, space themed sessions, and the combination of the BTEC and A Levels I would say sets us up better for a university life. We have the knowledge, and we have the background in report writing, group work, and research.”
What was it like going to Buckingham Palace?
Rhys: “It felt surreal!”
Ellie-Mae: “In some ways, I wasn't expecting everything to be as big and as beautiful as it was.”
What do you hope to do after the Space Engineering programme?
Ellie-Mae: “After this course I hope to continue research in the space and aviation sectors. I hope to go onto a degree in aerospace engineering and continue to drive forward the push for sustainability in the aviation sector.”
Rhys: “When I’ve finished the course, I would go onto do aeronautics engineering at university or a degree apprenticeship at an aerospace company.”