We were delighted to welcome Staff Sergeant Joshua Peel back to Thornhill Community Academy, where he delivered a series of engaging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) workshops for our students.

Following the success of his previous visit, Staff Sergeant Peel returned to share his experiences and provide students with a valuable insight into careers within the STEM sector. As STEM-related careers continue to grow and evolve, the sessions highlighted the wide range of exciting opportunities available to young people.

Staff Sergeant Peel spoke about his career in the Army, explaining how it has enabled him to travel the world and develop valuable skills. He also discussed his engineering background and the educational opportunities available through the armed forces. Students were keen to learn more and took part in an interactive question-and-answer session, asking about everything from daily life in the Army to the challenges of military training.

The workshops concluded with a hands-on engineering challenge, where students worked in teams to design and construct bridges using only lollipop sticks and sticky tape. Their creations were then put to the test to see which bridge could support the most weight while successfully meeting the design brief.

The event was organised by Miss Walker, Careers Leader, who said:

"We are extremely grateful to Staff Sergeant Peel for returning to the Academy and continuing to support our students' understanding of careers within the STEM sector.

The sessions were informative, engaging and enjoyable, giving students a real insight into the opportunities available to them. It was fantastic to see them applying their teamwork, creativity and problem-solving skills during the bridge-building challenge."

The workshops provided another excellent opportunity for students to explore future career pathways while developing key skills that are highly valued in STEM industries.