TECgirls welcomes over 600 people to our first ever Reach for the Sky Festival!

TECgirls successfully hosted the inaugural "Reach for the Sky" festival, an extraordinary event designed to inspire and empower young girls in Cornwall to explore careers in technology and engineering.

The festival was conceived in response to the stark reality that girls in Cornwall have some of the lowest participation rates in tech and engineering across the country. In Cornwall, only 4% of girls take computing science GCSEs and only 5% take design technology GCSE, significantly below the national average. This is despite the fact that technology and engineering are some of the most needed skills in the county and globally. Additionally, the region faces one of the lowest pupil investment rates, leading to generally low attainment figures. This event was a much-needed initiative to address these disparities and inspire a new generation of female engineers and technologists.

The sold out Reach for the Sky festival welcomed over 600 people to RNAS Culdrose on Saturday, with all children offered a free ticket and a free lunch. This first of its kind festival for girls was made possible with sponsorship from the Department of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority. Generous gift bags with paper plane kits and reusable water bottles were sponsored by Slingshot Aerospace. 

Held in a giant hanger, the event was packed with hands-on activities for kids. It featured over 20 different workshops, including rocket launches, a make-your-own planet piano, 3D printers, Mars Rover robots, a VR zone, a paper plane competition, and the construction of a giant cardboard space village.

Dynamic rocket shows included demonstrations with a full-size rocket car, a hybrid rocket motor, a jet engine and large fireballs.  An impressive aircraft display featured an F35 with female pilots on hand to talk to girls about flying jets. This was backed by engineers, experts and apprentices from Leonardo and Secro. Truro and Penwith College and Cornwall College were also both on hand to tell kids about how they can study exciting subjects in Cornwall. 

Caitlin Gould, Founder and CEO of TECgirls talked about the event: "Reach for the Sky was a game-changer! The energy, excitement, and enthusiasm from these young girls were off the charts. Watching them dive into tech and engineering with such passion was incredibly inspiring. This festival proved that Cornwall's girls are ready to break barriers and soar to new heights in STEM. We're just getting started – the future is bright, and we're leading the charge!"

Real Life Role Models

A hugely popular feature of the day were the Role Model panels. Girls had the opportunity to meet female pilots such as India Morrell from the British Women’s Pilot Association and Debi Peskett - First Officer - Isles of Scilly Steamship Group Role Model Panel, where they shared their experiences and answered questions from the crowd about entering careers in aviation. The second panel of the day highlighted women in aerospace and engineering, including women from Leonardo and Melissa Quinn from Slingshot Aerospace. The panels were hosted by young teen presenters Lilly Ratty Ford and Lilly Talbot, who provided a unique perspective on the stories of the panelists.

The event underscored the vibrant community spirit and commitment to providing new opportunities for girls in Cornwall. With support from local cadets and various non-profits, "Reach for the Sky" successfully highlighted the collaborative effort to inspire the next generation of female engineers and technologists.