A team of six Year 10 pupils from Ysgol Bro Edern in Cardiff has won the Cardiff and Vale College Schools Aero Challenge 2026.
Now in its 14th year, the Aero Challenge sees Year 10 pupils from schools across south Wales complete in a series of activities designed to raise awareness of training and careers in the Aerospace industry and of STEM subjects. This year the activities included coding and flying drones, an egg drop challenge, landing a plane at Cardiff Airport using a flight simulator, using Ohm’s law to design and build electronic circuits, jacking up a Bulldog aircraft and making dog tags at the College’s renowned International Centre for Aerospace Training (ICAT).
Each day while the scores were being added up the pupils were given information about progression routes at CAVC and discussed the skills they had used during the day.
This year 24 teams of six pupils from schools in Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend and Blaenau Gwent took part in the Challenge and Ysgol Bro Edern emerged victorious. They win a trophy and £250 worth of vouchers towards STEM equipment for their school.
Ysgol Bro Edern Head of Technology Dewi Thomas said: “We have been taking part in the Aero Challenge at CAVC for the last five years. It is a brilliantly immersive day that gives students a real perspective of the type of study and industry available here in South Wales.
“As a school, we are very proud of our former pupils who competed in this competition and have since gone on to study with CAVC and secure excellent employment in our area. The skills developed through the competition are wide ranging - from flying drones to working with sheet aluminium - and are truly representative of the engineering sector.
“I would fully recommend the challenge to others; it is a highlight for our pupils and an amazing opportunity to bring further study and industry into the classroom.”
Ysgol Bro Edern pupils Max, Sara and Tom said: “The campus was larger than we imagined, as on the day we weren’t sure what to expect. We were amazed by the equipment; there are real planes and components for students to work with.
“The staff were welcoming, very knowledgeable in their fields, and we found everyone to be friendly and encouraging. Our understanding of the field of Aero Engineering really developed, and it opened new possibilities for future studies.
“We loved the simulator and the hands on experience of making dog tags. After the amazing experiences of the day, we were inspired to research the entry routes into Aeronautical Engineering.”
Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans said: “Congratulations to the team from Ysgol Bro Edern for winning the Aero Challenge!
“At CAVC we are strong believers in in the value of skills-based competitions and the talents they help develop. It is especially important that we encourage young people, especially young girls, into careers in Aerospace and STEM and fun competitions such as this Challenge do a great deal to help with that – a huge thank you to all of the CAVC colleagues who organised and ran this year’s Aero Challenge.”