My Work Life - World Skill Show at the N.E.C Birmingham

The N.E.C. Birmingham at the wonderful time of 8am on Friday the 16th

On the dates of the 15th to the 17th, the world skill show came to the N.E.C. Birmingham. I got the chance to be involved due to our team having a stall with the NHS careers. So amongst the ambulance, the dentistry as well as the optometry stand, we had a stall which was targeted to Biomedical Science. The stall had a simple tweaked coconut shy to entice the passing public to engage with us. The altered coconut shy linked the idea of precision and accuracy with science. Along with the five disciplines of Biomedical Science which was represented by the different cuddly micro-organisms on the shy. The public would be asked what science they liked. After, we would tell them which two fluffy cells/items are related. For example, they were;

• Haematology - The red blood cell and the white blood cell
• Microbiology - The MRSA and Helicobacter Pylori plushie
• Biochemistry - The poo and the beta cell
• Immunology - The HIV and Coeliac disease
• Cellular Pathology - The Cancer cell and the Stem cell

Our Stand with the Coconut Shy game

The stand was really well received. The coconut shy game was used by both young and old. So, the simple coconut shy stand would be a good idea to most engagement tasks. Although not really understood the point of the game. That could be down to us as explainers and I believe highly that this is the case. But, another possible reason is the fact that the game was quite complex from the original idea of just throwing a ball at a coconut. Ryan and I got a very good experience with dealing with the public. As well as trying to promote to teachers and to children that would rather by anyway then at this show. Though they were some people who were wanted to know what biomedical science was, which was really nice to engage with.
Ryan and I also got some good contacts from the teacher which came to the event. Hopefully, we will be able to get some STEM workshops prepared for these schools.
Personally though, I did feel like that I found it easier to talk with the teachers and girls over primary school age. I don't know why that was. Normally, its the other way around outside world. I have more friends that are boys and have two younger sisters. It was just a personal reflection that I seemed to have my best explanations and communication techniques with teachers and girls at secondary education stage. Hopefully with time, I'll be more adapted to talk to boys and younger ages.


Sadly, I couldn't be apart of the event on the last day. This was due to an illness that was getting progressing bad throughout the week. On Saturday, I had no voice and a very sore throat. So had to stay at home in order to rest and recover. This meant I only had two days of experience at a big event like this. And... Yes, I am a bit disappointed. I felt a bit defeatist not coming on Saturday. But, I am grateful of the rest. Due to the rest, I am feeling much better and the illness seems to have past (Yay!).


The Benefits
No one can go to a event like this and not have a nosy around the other stalls. A big event like this is so exciting. They were a few stalls that I had a look at. The Muller stall along with the various food stalls were obviously a very big hit with the public as well as the other presenters. I did come away with a free chocolate fudge yoghurt - gratefully eaten on the Friday lunch time, some spices and a leaflet of the types of jobs which they have. There were also additional stalls which were interesting too. One of the stalls had a 5ft cow which the public signed in order to get a prize. I had no clue what this prize was... Never the less, I did put my name on the cow in big letters.

See! I weren't lying! A giant 5ft cow!

The rest were stalls which weren't a college or university had some sort of vehicle linked with their outreach. Most of these vehicles were obviously linked to the engineering stalls. But, I also saw a lots of workshops where you could view engineers checking cars such as Ferraris, Audis and jaguars - all the big brands. But, the most impressive workshop of the engineers, in my opinion, was the stall which had the lorry mechanics. These mechanics were showing off their skills upon lorries. I mean a lorry isn't exactly a small vehicle. So there were no where for it to hide. It was pretty impressive watching them changing tires and looking in/underneath the bonnet.
As well as the engineering stalls, there were the emergency services that came with their vehicles. The fire fighters had their Volvo fire truck widely available to enter and to wear the kit that a fire fighter would put on. Likewise, the police had their police car widely available to enter. Along with a finger print key chain stall, which I must admit that I had a go of making one. But, it was the ambulance that was far more impressive to the public. You couldn't see the ambulance from the crowd of people which swamp around the vehicle. The NHS part of the venue was only busy due to the ambulance along with the food stalls practically 10 feet from us. But to be honest, I have no clue why fire engines, police cars and ambulances have such a big pull for public. Maybe, its the child within each of us to want to enter such an iconic vehicle. But, it was pretty impressive to see within the ambulance - when I got the chance. The paramedic kindly showed me all of the key part of the ambulance. From the pain killing stuff like Entonox (gas and air which is used in pregnancies), the ECG equipment which is state of the art and the more obscure parts of the brand new ambulance.


The ambulance of conversation. It's a brand new one 18 reg - only released this year.

But, there wasn't just the important cars within the halls of the NEC. They were also racing cars and a blow up earth which got my attention. These stalls showed the bad side of engagement of the public. The stall that was showing of this racing car were trying to show the attendees, that were mostly children, how that car was made. The instructional video was showing how the computer custom made every carbon fibre piece as well as trying to engage with the people. However, the stall didn't really showcase the science behind. It did have the gears and how that works. But not how the computer industry thing works. Instead the children, teachers and parents there at the show were more impressed by the car. They didn't understand the complex words spoken on the screen. No matter how long they listened, I didn't see anyone learn from the stand. All people were doing were taking a short photograph by the impressive car before running off to the other stalls. Only the people within science were actually paying attention to the screen. But, maybe this highlights a problem with engaging to the public. That if you are too complicated, have no interaction and don't show an understandable link to your big item - you won't get people interested in it.

Likewise with the blow up earth. It was fantastically impressive when you walked past the engaging item. However, when I walked past. No-one was there to engage me. I just ended up walking past. Some didn't even go to the earth. They were just taking photos of the earth from a distance. This highlights to me that you have to have someone on the stand that knows the subject in depth. If you don't then no-one interested is going to stay interested.

The Toyota Racing Car

The Jaguar and Land Rover Stall

All in all, there were some awesome stalls at the NEC. However, I did feel like our stall had a boost because of its engaging activity. I know that a coconut shy doesn't compete with a fire engine, an ambulance or a 5ft cow in some regards. But, at least there were something to get the public enticed to our stall. I wish that the next event that I don't come down and pass on my illness to the rest of the staff working there!