We like to call young people our Heroes of Tomorrow. By harnessing their enthusiasm for the energy industry we will solve the challenge of providing energy in a sustainable way, and we are proud to inspire them to improve the world in which we live.
Wonderlab: The Equinor Gallery at the Science Museum builds on children’s natural curiosity in STEM to ensure long lasting engagement. With 50 wonders of science to enjoy, the gallery reveals the beauty of the science and maths that shape our everyday lives.
Building on the success of the ongoing Wonderlab gallery, in 2017 Equinor and the Science Museum launched a nationwide competition to find Britain’s most imaginative and creative young people, Young Imagineers. The annual competition invites imaginative entrants aged 7-14 to design an invention that would make tomorrow’s world a better place. 2017's winner, Finlay aged 10, designed the Hover Wheelchair. Millie aged 10 was the 2018 winner with her Solar Powered Pollution Sucking Robot Pigeon. Each winning idea was made into a model and put on display outside Wonderlab: The Equinor Gallery at the Science Museum.
In Aberdeen, Scotland, Equinor sponsors a number of organisations who are committed to igniting an interest in STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Maths) subjects. Working together, we can provide exciting, hands-on experiences as well as access to industry knowledge and professionals.
Equinor partners with North East based charity TechFest . TechFest is best known for its annual festival, making it Scotland’s most substantial and ambitious digital science festival to date. We support both their annual public programme, aimed at engaging the public in STEM activities, and a workshop event for school children, attracting approximately 400 pupils over two days. The event is designed to inspire young people to pursue careers within STEM.
Equinor is Digital Futures partner for the new Aberdeen Science Centre. Digitalisation plays a huge role in our industry but also within our everyday lives. A new exhibit for 2020, RoboThespian, an interactive, humanoid robot, will help the public to learn more about programming, animation and automation, skills which span numerous industries, with STEM at their core. We also fund the Code Factory, an educational public programme which teaches programming through fun and interactive workshops.
Equinor also supports the NASA in Aberdeen programme, primarily aimed at all school age children, but also the general public. The events are designed to inspire the next generation of energy industry professionals by providing a glimpse into the world of NASA Engineering, Space Exploration and the clear links to the technology and innovation used in the energy sector.
With Aberdeenshire Council and Peterhead Academy, we have created the Hywind STEM Hub, which is building young people’s skills and understanding of renewable technologies. The space doubles as both a learning facility and community space, whilst providing a physical link to Hywind Scotland, the world’s first floating windfarm, located 16 miles off the coast of Peterhead.