RS Components confirms headline sponsorship of FIRST LEGO League INTO ORBIT

RS Components (RS) has announced its headline sponsorship of the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) FIRST LEGO League INTO ORBIT 2018/19 season in the UK and Ireland.

FIRST LEGO League is a global science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) competition attracting 35,000 teams in 90 countries, which challenges six to 16-year-olds to solve real-world problems with the help of a robot. Teams of up to 10 students, supported by an adult mentor, are required to show skills in robotics, computer programming, teamwork, research, problem solving and communication, with space exploration as the theme. RS’ support, through the IET, will enable an additional 20 schools from disadvantaged areas in the UK to participate in this exciting STEM experience.

“Interesting and fun initiatives like the FIRST LEGO League are a great way to introduce children to engineering, and highlight the creative aspects of the profession,” commented Lindsley Ruth, CEO of Electrocomponents, the parent company of RS.

“With every initiative we support, it is our aim to inspire more and more schoolchildren toward choosing STEM subjects and pursuing a career in engineering, with the end goal of reducing the skills gap we have in the industry.”

Over recent years, RS has invested in many projects aimed at inspiring young engineers and is a member of the stakeholder advisory board for the UK government’s Year of Engineering 2018.

“The Year of Engineering is a unique opportunity for the government, industry and education to unite and to reinforce the message that the UK’s future as a global technology leader lies in inspiring and nurturing engineering skills among the nation’s young people,” added Lindsley Ruth.

Register a team for FIRST LEGO League

Registration for the regional tournaments of the FIRST LEGO League INTO ORBIT challenge is open now to schools across the UK and Ireland. For more information, visit: http://www.firstlegoleague.co.uk.

The IET is the FIRST LEGO League operational partner for the UK and Ireland. Supporting the competition is part of the IET’s commitment to inspiring young people to consider STEM-related careers. A video showing highlights from the 2017/18 season UK and Ireland final is available here: https://tv.theiet.org/?videoid=11674.

More about the Year of Engineering 2018

The Year of Engineering is a landmark campaign to transform perceptions of engineering among young people, their parents and teachers – and to inspire the next generation of inventors and innovators. By bringing young people face to face with engineering experiences and role models, the campaign aims to show young people from all backgrounds that engineering could be their chance to shape the world around them.

To find out more and for the latest Year of Engineering news, events and teaching resources, head to http://www.yearofengineering.gov.uk