Last week, SQEP’s STEM Ambassadors Andy Petrylak and Mark Ball volunteered at the FIRST Tech Robotics Challenge UK in Birmingham, where 100 students from 12 secondary schools put their creativity, technical skills, and teamwork to the test in live robot battles and presentations.
By inspiring young people, empowering educators, and making STEM less intimidating, the event aimed to help shape the innovators of tomorrow. But this is more than just outreach—it’s a reflection of SQEP’s corporate and social responsibility to fuel future talent and drive innovation across our industry.
We caught up with Andy Petrylak and Mark Ball after the event to hear about their experience, insights, and the impact the event had on both the students and themselves.
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How did you get involved in the STEM initiative since joining SQEP?
As part of the SQEP’s commitment to promoting STEM careers and developing its people, we set up a SQEP STEM committee of enthusiastic STEM Ambassadors to explore opportunities for outreach and use our experience to give something back to the industry that we work in.
What is STEM, and why does it matter?
STEM Learning exists to promote and support education in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Its mission is to inspire young people, empower educators, and ensure that the next generation is equipped with the skills, knowledge, and curiosity to thrive in a rapidly changing and tech-driven world.
By fostering an interest in STEM subjects, it also helps to address skills shortages, fuel innovation, and prepare individuals for careers in industries critical to global progress. Additionally, organizations like STEM Learning often aim to make these fields more accessible and inclusive, breaking down barriers for underrepresented groups.
Why does STEM matter to you personally, and what makes it important for SQEP?
STEM is an incredible way in which to pay forward the experiences that we have gained through our careers. To engage with young people and show them some of the opportunities that exist within STEM industries is something that I feel is vitally important. The mantra, ‘that you can’t be, what you can’t see’ is one that I believe to be absolutely true. It is important for SQEP because it allows us to promote our industry and encourage more young people to consider careers with organisations like ours.
SQEP’s commitment to promoting STEM education through interactive outreach is also a reflection of our corporate and social responsibility. By investing in STEM, we contribute to building a more informed, innovative, and inclusive society. This commitment strengthens our reputation as a forward-thinking organisation dedicated to the promotion of opportunities within STEM.
Tell me about the FIRSTⓇ Tech Challenge
British Science Week, a national celebration of STEM from 7 – 16th March, seemed like a great time to kick-start our STEM outreach. We identified the FIRSTⓇ Tech Challenge as being a great event to get involved in and reached out to the incredible team to see how we could lean in and support. The event was a huge success and was attended by 12 secondary schools, with approximately 100 students showcasing their robots via presentations and live ‘battles’. The event in Birmingham is one of several regional events taking place around the country, with the top two schools progressing through to the national final in London in June.
What is the main focus or objective of the event?
FIRSTⓇ Tech Challenge UK is an educational robotics programme for young people aged 12-18. Built on the latest tech, industry volunteers and epic competitions, the challenge gives young people the chance to design, build and program robots while developing vital skills in STEM and beyond. They are committed to making STEM less intimidating, more diverse and inclusive, empowering young people to make informed choices about their future.
FIRSTⓇ UK’s vision is a world where young people are empowered to explore, challenge and grow into innovators who will take on tomorrow’s challenges. They do this by equipping young people aged 12-18 with the technical knowledge and soft skills to succeed by connecting with industry mentors to work in business teams designing and building robots to compete in tournaments.
Is there anything else you’d like to add about STEM in industry, particularly in the Defence sector, or any other relevant thoughts?
Volunteering to support events like this demonstrates SQEP’s commitment to STEM and future innovation. The opportunity to volunteer to support FIRSTⓇ Tech is an excellent way to engage with many students and use the expertise that exists within SQEP, whilst helping promote STEM related careers. Moreover, it is fantastic to be able to volunteer for an organisation that has a shared ethos with SQEP in the promotion of diversification and awareness of STEM, making it more accessible to people from all walks of life.
Overall, it was a fantastic experience and seeing the immense effort that went into the day from the students and organisers was extremely humbling and we are proud to have been able to represent SQEP at the event. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to SQEP for affording Mark and I the great opportunity to support this event. Hopefully, this could be the start of a great relationship with FIRSTⓇ Tech and provide other SQEP personnel the opportunity to get involved in their events in the future.
A huge thank you for all of the support given by the brilliant FIRSTⓇ Tech team, who were incredibly supportive, provided first-class training and delivered an excellent event.
Finally, a massive thank you to all of the teams for their engagement and passion throughout the competition. They were incredibly inspiring and blew us away with their ingenuity and immense designs.
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