Inspiring students to influence tomorrow’s infrastructure

4 April 2016

Inspiring today’s students to influence tomorrow’s infrastructure

Registrations now open for Aurecon’s reimagined Bridge Building Competition 2016.

From small beginnings in classrooms across Australia and New Zealand to designing tomorrow’s greatest pieces of infrastructure, Aurecon’s reimagined Bridge Building Competition 2016 will offer participants ‘real-world’ experience of what they can look forward to as future engineering students and professionals.

Aurecon Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, William Cox, believes that the engineering, science and technology industries must work together and lead efforts to make STEMs (science, technology, engineering and maths subjects) more accessible and appealing to young students.

“STEM subjects are the building blocks for the inquisitive, adventurous and inventive imaginations that make engineering and technology work. The earlier students can engage with STEM subjects the better,” comments William.

Aurecon recently tasked a small group of Monash University engineering students with a big challenge: to reimagine and redesign a future-focused bridge building competition for hundreds of competitors not much older than themselves.

The third and fourth year students from a range of disciplines, including civil and mechanical engineering, and industrial and product design, were challenged by Aurecon Chief Digital Officer, Andrew Maher, to transform the bridge building learning experience for young students.

“They started by looking forward ten years, to when today's students will be entering the workforce and thinking about the work a company like Aurecon will be doing and the skills ‘future ready’ university graduates will need,” comments Andrew. “This year’s changes are the first in a series of exciting innovations aimed at cultivating curiosity and readying secondary school students for a digital engineering future.”

New building materials, testing and scoring mechanisms and award categories are just a few of the clever innovations that the engineering students designed for the annual competition.

“Three months, three engineering students and countless popsicle sticks later, we are excited to invite schools across Australia and New Zealand to enter a team (or two) in our reimagined Aurecon Bridge Building Competition 2016,” says William.

The competition is open to Years 8 and 9 students in Australia, and Years 9 and 10 students in New Zealand. It will be held in 11 locations during the first three weeks of August.

Entry for the Aurecon Bridge Building Competition is free and prizes will be awarded to students and schools in four new award categories: All-rounder award; Efficiency award; Strength award; and an Innovation prize.

Prior to testing day, using materials supplied by Aurecon, students will be tasked with designing and constructing a model bridge using the construction guidelines provided.

Judging day will take place in August, and all competitors are invited to gather at venues across Australia and New Zealand where bridges will be load tested and assessed for visual appeal, workmanship, creativity and functionality.

Register online today on the competition website. Further information about the competition, including dates and venues as well as highlights from previous year’s events, is available on the website: http://www.aurecongroup.com/buildingbridges/

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