After building mousetrap vehicles and helmets, our Cohort 2 learners were faced with yet another challenge that tested their knowledge of the design processes that they have learned throughout the year. Having been taught and coached in teamwork, design and presentation, the Engineering Academy Cohort 2 participants were tested with what seems to be their most challenging Design Challenge by far. They had the task to design what could possibly be the solution to South Africa’s energy crisis. The learners had to tackle a challenge called Power of Wind. So, instead of using water to generate electrical power, learners had to use wind instead.
Though this was the toughest challenge by far, the learners faced it head on. They came up with different designs, sizes, direction and shapes of turbines and this contributed to their end-product. The learners' designs went through various stages of testing and optimization until they achieved their desired results. We saw them working and reworking parts of their prototypes until their light bulbs came to life.
Next Engineers aims to create a generation of engineers that is able to solve problems or challenges encountered by different communities, in different places. Could this be a potential solution to the energy crisis that South Africa is faced with?
