Young inventors show off their talent for innovation
Arevolutionary bike lock is among inventions from talented youngsters from Welsh schools and colleges celebrated at a ceremony at the Senedd.
Young inventors were recognised for their outstanding ideas from 2017 at the WJEC Innovation Awards ceremony.
The event recognises the most original project work by students studying design and technology, with awards for GCSE, AS-level and A-level work.
Students, teachers and parents from schools and colleges from around the country gathered at the Senedd to see projects and creations to celebrate the success of young innovators and entrepreneurs.
Among the creations exhibited were a specially-designed walker with a built-in seat inspired by a classmate with cerebral palsy, a prosthetic arm for disabled netball players and a multi-purpose table which converts into a shelving unit.
Kyle Williams, 18, from Monmouth School for Boys, won the AS-level prize and overall winner prize for his bike lock, which allows members of the public to secure their bikes without having to carry their own lock – by using a pound coin.
He said: “My inspiration came from cycling trips I used to take with my dad when I was younger, and one of my best friends now who is really into BMX. He finds it a huge inconvenience carrying a heavy lock around, but bike theft is such a problem he can’t risk going without it.
“My public bike lock is designed to fit to existing Sheffield-style public bike stands, so it has the potential to be adopted by councils across the country.
“It’s static, so cyclists wouldn’t need to carry their own bike lock, and the idea is not-for-profit, making it affordable for everyone to use. It took around eight weeks of lessons and three Saturday mornings to create my prototype by hand.
“It hasn’t fully sunk in yet that I’ve won – I’m really proud that all my hard work has paid off. I love designing things and I’m hoping to study mechanical engineering at university, so this is just the beginning for me.”
Josef Welsh, from Ysgol Maesydderwen, was awarded the A-level prize for his outdoor seating design and the GCSE prize went to Dewi Phillips, from Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern, for his portable stool.
Alongside their awards, the individual winners, schools and education centres were presented with certificates recognising their achievements and prizes including up to £250 for the individual and £150 for their centre.
As part of the selection process, the work of 80 young inventors was presented to judges earlier last year at public exhibitions in locations across Wales, giving visitors a chance to see products created by the innovators of the future.
Gareth Pierce, chief executive at WJEC, said: “The standard this year was exceptionally high, with around 500 entries. There were some incredible inventions and the judges were hard-pressed to choose just one winning student from each category.
“The ability to channel creativity into something which is both inventive and beneficial to society is a unique talent. I’m sure these are just the first of many exciting innovations from Kyle, Josef and Dewi, and we look forward to seeing what they come up with next. We think it’s vital to recognise young talent in Wales, and to exhibit and celebrate the level of commitment that goes into studying these subjects at GCSE, AS and A-level and the high quality of work produced as a result.”
The Innovation Awards is an annual competition partly funded by the Welsh Government.
Education Secretary Kirsty Williams, who hosted the awards, said: “These awards are a fantastic way of recognising and celebrating the success of our students in Wales and developing entrepreneurial talent.
“The high standard of entrants into this year’s competition is really encouraging and I hope these awards will inspire more learners and other budding inventors to pursue their creative and technological ideas to help strengthen Wales’ position as a forward-thinking, innovative country.”