Rapid is delighted to have been nominated in the Educational Support Award category at the Elektra 2017 Awards, the most prestigious awards ceremony in the electronics industry.
The company has been recognised for its work promoting STEM education in primary and secondary schools through the VEX IQ and VEX Robotics platforms.
The Educational Support Award is a new category at the Elektras which recognises the company that has done most to advance the cause of engineering and STEM education. It also features Harwin, Plessey Semiconductors, RS Components and TDK-Lambda. Rapid has also been nominated in the Distributor of the Year category.
The VEX IQ Challenge has just enjoyed a breakthrough year with female participation equalling male for the first time, and the youngest UK girls team competing in the World Championships. Rapid takes great pride in these achievements because it has played a key role in the development of both platforms since they were introduced to the UK in 2012.
As a tool-less robotics platform ideally suited to Key Stage 2 and 3, VEX IQ allows students to design, build and program working, functional robots that can operate autonomously and via remote control. VEX IQ is a brilliant way of bringing all areas of STEM together, helping children make the connection between the different STEM disciplines, increasing
student engagement and attainment and developing skills in designing, building and programming.
The VEX IQ Challenge provides primary and secondary students aged 8-14 years with an exciting, open-ended robotics and research challenge that enhances their science, technology, engineering and maths skills. Each year, teams are given an engineering challenge that is presented in the form of a game. The students must design a robot that can participate in both teamwork and solo challenges.
Rapid’s work with VEX IQ includes funding, mentoring and organisational support at a regional and national level.
Rapid staff have acted as mentors for a number of teams taking part in the VEX IQ Challenge, with Chris Calver, Rapid’s Education Manager, often guiding teams from their very first taster sessions to competing at regional, national and international level with distinction.
"It is a huge achievement for us to be nominated twice in this year's Elektras", said James Bates, Rapid's Managing Director. "These are very much the 'Oscars' of our industry, so to be recognised in this way shows that we are making great progress as a company and offering services customers and suppliers value."
The Elektras take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 6 December.