Both local community engagement and encouraging the next generation of electrical engineers are high on DSL’s list of priorities.
In this blog, Sales Manager Tom Scott outlines a brand-new electronic design competition which aims to spark creativity and inspire local youngsters to think outside of the electronic design box.
What is the DSL Design Academy?
It’s a unique competition – an electronic design competition for local school and college pupils to enter. Students, from juniors to college age, are tasked with coming up with ideas for an electronic product and submitting them to DSL to be in with a chance to win prizes for themselves and their school. We wanted the competition to be open to a broad age range to enable as many young people as possible to get involved.
Who is it aimed at?
This initiative is aimed at educational institutions in the Letchworth area. Six of our colleagues were educated in and around Letchworth so we are keen to give something back to the community which supported them in their youth. As a local employer, we hope to get parents, learners and teachers involved and enthused in the type of electronic design work that DSL does.
What counts as an electronic product?
Children have an unbounding and unedited imagination so they aren’t too many limitations on what can be submitted, in fact, the more original the better.
As long as it has some electronic elements and could be designed in the future, it will qualify and can be entered. It may actually be physically produced by DSL if it is realistic and feasible enough.
What is the scoring criteria and how will it be applied fairly across the age ranges?
Each entry will be judged on originality, feasibility, thoroughness of the design, and the explanation of the idea behind the product. If you have an idea, no matter what age or whether it’s a tiny or huge idea, get your concept down on paper. It’s a great opportunity for young people to showcase their initiative and skills. Every product designer and inventor has to start somewhere and this could be the start of something huge!
What are the prizes for the competition winner?
The student is rewarded for their hard work and ingenuity with a brand-new iPad. The school or college that the winning student attends also receives a prize in the form of design tech equipment which we hope will encourage the next generation of tech innovators and product designers to design and test their ideas with the support of the school and have the tools they need to do so.
How do schools and colleges get involved?
The first step is to request an information pack (see contact details at the end of this blog). The information pack includes all the details which the educational setting needs including advertising posters, 10 entry forms, T&Cs, deadline dates, and a USB containing all the documents and information electronically. Teachers can then start encouraging students to enter. The entry forms are designed to be easy to complete with space for diagrams or drawings of the product and room to explain what the idea is, how it would work and why they came up with this product.
What happens next?
From 17 February, we will arrange to visit all the schools which have entered and collect all the entry forms. They will be judged by a panel made up of specialists at DSL who will choose 10 entries to be short-listed by 1 March 2023.
The 10 finalists will be informed and be invited to present their idea at an awards event in the local area. The presentation can be in any format and the students, particularly the younger ones, can be assisted by a teacher or parent. For example, this could be a short speech, pre-recorded video, PowerPoint presentation or something even more creative than that! The winner will be announced on the night and the prizes presented there and then, with a few photos to commemorate their success!
For further information on DSL’s Design Academy competition 2023, click here.