One pattern that has repeated across the 108 podcasts published since Designed for Life launched in the summer of 2020 is the role of serendipity in aligning people and their careers. 

Today's podcast is a case in point. Driven by a primal desire to help people, Olivia set her heart on a career in medicine. School and academia did not come easily to her, and she realised at a very early stage that if she were to have any hope of following her dream, she would need to roll her sleeves up and work harder than most. 

With this in mind, this is precisely what she did, sacrificing aspects of her social life and doing whatever was asked of her at school to achieve her goals, and more. Outstanding GCSE results followed, with Olivia being featured on her school's website front page as a success story. Here, the rhetoric changed as teachers now looked upon her as an 'academic' and as such, started to point her towards A Level success and University. 

Some careers are no doubt easier to enter if you come from the middle or upper classes. Finance is a factor if you want to enter architecture, medicine, law and many other career pathways; who you know and your access to work placements and internships are also significant factors. 

Olivia took a year out to rethink her future and, at first, saw Amazon as a way to earn money while she refocused. She is now a Mechantronics Engineering Apprentice at Amazon and is in her flow state in this position. 

I first came across Olivia at a recent Women in Manufacturing Conference, where she was on a panel alongside equally impressive fellow apprentices, and I had to ask her to share her story on the podcast. There is so much to learn from both her journey and where she is today. So sit back, take an hour for yourself and enjoy Designed for Life - In conversation with Olivia Lane. 

Huge thanks to Arachne.digital for their support that makes this podcast possible. To get a free check on your school's cyber security email contact@arachne.digital

For more information, please see Girls Gone STEM on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@girlsgonestem?_r=1&_t=ZN-91udctoZ8WE.

Or check Olivia's LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-lane-02bb802a2?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios

You can cover so much learning within the confines of the classroom, but with design & technology education, whether at the primary or secondary level, a carefully planned educational visit can add so much.

At the Design & Technology Association, we are always seeking potential visits to recommend to teachers and their students. With this in mind, we are delighted to talk with Julie Brierley, Head of Learning and Engagement at the excellent RAF Museum, Midlands. 

In this podcast, Julie takes us back to a mixed experience at school. Loving her primary school experience, and then finding secondary school to be less than welcoming to a shy, introverted student. Design and Technology education proved to be a sanctuary within this environment, and being one of the few female students was not a barrier to her loving the subject.

Set on a career in nursing, she surprised everyone (parents included) by leaving school as soon as she could and joining the RAF as an apprentice flight engineer. Here she found her 'tribe' and was immediately at home, but as we will hear in the podcast, this was before equality of opportunity reached the forces. As a woman, there were several challenges to overcome.

Julie is now Head of Learning and Engagement at RAF Museum Midlands, a perfect setting to study all things D&T, maths, science and across most of the curriculum. 

This is a tale of perseverance, about finding what you love, sticking with it, and finding a working role that plays to your strengths and brings you fulfilment and joy! I loved the conversation, and I think you will too.

Thanks to Arachne.digital for their continued support, which enables us to bring these conversations to you. Please reach out to request a consultation to secure your school's cyber presence by emailing contact@arachne.digital or visiting arachne.digital

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands/schools-and-colleges/

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands/schools-and-colleges/learning-events/

In this episode, we continue exploring the journey of school design and technology leaders and departments as we visit and talk with staff, students, and parents at the Simon Langton Boys Grammar School in Canterbury, Kent. 

Before anyone decides this is a story of overprivileged students enjoying an experience created by money and connections, please know this is not the case. This department has been carefully crafted from the ground up with a limited budget and now has over two hundred students studying design and technology at GCSE and a mixed-gender, large, and growing sixth form.

The school has had huge success at F1 in Schools, winning the National competition, which allowed students to represent the UK in the World Finals. This, alongside other opportunities, is part of an extensive extra-curricular offer presented to Langton students. 

We recorded over a full day in school, and there was so much good content that it was impossible to edit it into one podcast, so we have decided to break this into two podcasts that will be released in close succession. 

So sit back, grab a moment or two to yourself and listen to Part One of Designed for Life, in conversation with the Simon Langton Boys Grammar School in Kent. 

We thank our sponsors, Arachne  Digital, your cyber threat intelligence platform for empowered protection. https://www.arachne.digital/

Follow The Langton Boys D&T Department on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/langtondesign/?hl=en

Zoe is a British artist, maker, self-confessed tinkerer and materials engineer.  Perhaps best known to design and technology teachers for her part in the iconic BBC2 series 'Big Life Fix' this is only one of many TV appearances over the years including 'This Morning' with Philip Scofield and Holly Willoughby, The secret of landfill (2018), The secret story of stuff (2018) and most recently 'How to Make' first aired April 2020. Zoe is also the resident materials expert on BBC Radio 4's 'The Kitchen Cabinet'. 

In this podcast, Zoe's absolute obsession with the beauty and intrigue of materials comes across loud and clear. Her PhD work explores how materials might affect the taste of food (how she describes a gold spoon's taste has to be heard to be believed).  Zoe went on to co-create The Institute of Making, a multidisciplinary research club based at University College London. 

As with all our guests, we take Zoe back to school and follow her journey to the design inspiration that she is today. I promise you will not be disappointed and you may never look at a tin rod quite the same ever again! 

Becky is a design researcher and award-winning research team leader at the University of the Arts London. She is based at Chelsea College of Arts where she is Co-Director of Centre for Circular Design (CCD). 

In October 2021 she co-founded World Circular Textiles Day 2050 with a team of like-minded collaborators who all want to create clear roadmaps for circular textiles, by drawing together current academic and industry research into inspiring, shared visions.

Becky's practise research encompasses making materials and prototypes, exhibition curation and writing. She is also a highly skilled workshop facilitator and communicator, specialising in the translation of cross-disciplinary design-led research into commercial contexts for sustainable fashion textiles and other fields. She particularly enjoys the challenge of educating and inspiring all kinds of audiences into more sustainable choices and actions towards circular futures.

She trained as a printed textile designer (BA Hons, Loughborough, 1992) and fashion print designer (MA, Central Saint Martins, 1994), before setting up her B. Earley London-based studio in 1995, with support from the Prince's Trust, Arts Council and the Crafts Council. In the late 90’s she created her award-winning low-impact, ‘exhaust printed’ recycled textiles. Her creative fashion textile work has been widely exhibited over the last twenty years; her prints and garments are collected by museums across the globe including MFIT in New York, RISD Museum, as well as the V&A and Crafts Council in London and the Pitt Rivers Museum (Oxford).

Description

In this episode we are in conversation with Laura Wood and Paul Pentelow, Co-Founders of Invisible Creations a design company with a stated purpose to 'Design for Dignity'.

The idea for Invisible Creations® was created in the National Housing Federation’s innovation programme in 2018.  The initiative was supported by the social housing sector and the company was formally founded as a new startup in January 2020.

Laura, Paul and the team are driven by a desire to bring dual purpose, high-quality thoughtfully and empathetically designed products to the homes of elderly people, enabling them to maintain their independance and to live life to the full.  This quote, taken from their website sums up their value driven approach to their business "Older people have been poorly served for too long with products that are stigmatising, clinical and downright ugly. We’re here to end it. Our aim is to completely disrupt a market that fosters negative stereotypes and makes people feel vulnerable."

What is interesting is neither Paul or Laura  come from Design backgrounds. Paul  left Salford University with a Degree in Sports Management and Laura was an English teacher with a background in Marketing and Comms; yet both have found themselves motivated to work in an area that really makes a positive impact on peoples lives. 

Our discussion takes us through a design process from identification of a design area ripe for exploration, through design to manufacture and marketing. Invisible Creations is a young company with a vision and a passion for what they do that comes over strongly in the podcast. 

Their website details a very personal story of Laura's nan Sheila. Sheila's story describes an independant, proud woman who did not feel that she should submit to ugly, stereotyped clinical design that "labelled me as old and infirm". Sheila's story can be echoed by millions of pensioners nationally, Invisible Creations was founded to help people like Sheila. 

In this, the fifth episode of Designed for Life, the podcast brought to you by The Design and Technology Association in partnership with The Edge Foundation, we talk with Dids Macdonald OBE Co-founder and Chief Executive of ACID (Anti-copying in Design). At the time of recording, Dids was also Master of The Furniture Makers Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furniture industry. We were joined in the conversation by Anne Sampson, who was the outgoing Educational Events and Campaigns Manager. 

Designers are notoriously bad at protecting their intellectual property, while some are very aware that a good idea is easily stolen and copied, many get so wrapped up in the iterative process of bringing a design from concept to market that they completely ignore or are ignorant of simple actions that they can take to protect their design from being illegally copied. 

As a young designer herself, Dids was outraged by the audacity shown by some who openly copied and replicated her work and the work of colleagues. Instead of moaning about it, she decided to take action and Co-founded ACID, which has been working for the last 25 years to help to protect design intellectual property. 

In this episode, Dids talks us through the relatively simple steps that all designers should take to protect their work. We talk through how this could (and perhaps should) be taught as part of a D&T secondary or even primary education (it is taught to all primary aged pupils in China). 

Dids also takes us behind the scenes at one of the City’s newest livery companies. What is a livery company? How does this work with and for the furniture industry, and what can we do within education to encourage more students to consider furniture design as a worthy option? 

A wide-ranging and engaging conversation that lifts the lid on design theft and how to protect against it. 

In this episode of Designed for Life we are fortunate to be in conversation with Pim van Baarsen CEO of the Silverstone Technology Cluster, a high-tech business group situated geographically within an hours drive of the Silverstone race circuit.

Pim joined the Motorsport Industry Association after completing a Master’s degree in business studies. During his time there he was presented with the AIM Young Business Person of the Year award for his efforts in helping the organisation grow.

He subsequently joined transmission specialists Xtrac where he oversaw their sportscar activities. After two years there he was invited to join Haymarket as Group Marketing Manager.

In 2010, Pim co-founded CMA Marketing, a marketing agency specialising in technical B2B marketing.

In December 2016 Pim was asked to head up the Silverstone Technology Cluster and has been doing what he describes in the podcast as his 'dream job' since.

In 2016, research was published that identified the cluster around Silverstone, an area spanning as far as Birmingham, Oxford, Cambridge and Luton, in which approximately 4,500 businesses reside who specialise in advanced engineering, electronics and software. As a result of this research, the Silverstone Technology Cluster (STC) organisation was founded

This podcast follows Pim's journey from school in the Netherlands through his dual degree taken at Plymouth University to his current post. We talk about how high-tech industries have reacted to the challenges posed by COVID-19 and how we can better join the worlds of education and industry to showcase an exciting emerging job market.  Pim gives his advice to students even vaguaely interested in working in the tech sector - A great conversation with something in there for everyone!

In this episode, we are in conversation with designer and technologist Jude Pullen. 

Winner of the 2020 Alastair Graham-Bryce "Imagineering" Award (Institution of Mechanical Engineers), Jude is a Product Design Engineer with an unparalleled appetite to investigate each subject matter that crosses his path. 

With a passion for bridging seemingly disparate disciplines, he is fascinated by fresh design challenges, be they human, mechanical or virtual. Exceptionally skilled at creating physical prototypes, he uses these models to explore design ideas, be they concepts for Dyson, a medical device for NHS, a fire-fighting robot or a mini space-pod.  

Jude has worked with Speck Design, Dyson, Sugru and LEGO but is possibly best known to design and technology teachers for his appearance as part of the design team on the BBCs Big Life Fix which has become something of an iconic show for design and technology teachers nationally (currently being repeated). 

Jude recently delivered a keynote as part of the Design and Technology Association's Autumn School. In the conversations leading to this keynote entitled "Not a Ted Talk", he was keen to avoid the 'easy option' of delivering a speech detailing his rich career to date. He was instead eager to explore the nature of design and technology teaching and what the future might hold for the subject. 

Teachers attending the Autumn School session were challenged to step forward to help form a group raising a hand to explore what might be possible in school with the support of Jude and some of his professional network of colleagues. That invitation is extended to D&T teachers listening to this podcast. 

This episode has something for teachers, students of D&T and for parents alike. So sit back, plug in and enjoy the D&T Association in conversation with Jude Pullen. 

In this, the fourth episode of Designed for Life, the podcast brought to you by the Design and Technology Association in partnership with the Edge Foundation; we meet Brian Oppenheim one of Her Majesties lead inspectors, a former teacher and head of design and technology and currently an experienced lead inspector with responsibility for the subject. 

In this conversation, we cover Brian's experience at school and what brought him to train to teach design and technology with the Inner London Education Authority. Brian talks us through his experiences as a head of department and how he developed a love for the subject that remains to this day. 

Brian was involved in helping to formulate the 'new' Ofsted framework and has worked to train other Ofsted colleagues in how to inspect design and technology and just what good and outstanding practise looks like in our subject. 

In our conversation, we cover a lot of ground, including:

• How does the revised framework for inspection differ from what came before and how has the first year been working with the new structure?
• What exactly is a broad curriculum offer from Ofsted's perspective and what happens when you inspect a school that has reduced their offer to students?
• What have been the main learning points for the subject over the last year?
• What is a 'deep dive' and how might this look in practice?

 This is an honest and open conversation with an Ofsted inspector that, in my opinion, really does value, understand and care about the subject. 

Michael Omotosho is a freelance Industrial designer based in Bradford and is widely recognised as a young highly talented designer with huge potential. 

In this podcast, the second of a new series brought to you by the Design and Technology Association in partnership with the Edge Foundation, Michael talks us through his foundation years as he was educated in Nigeria. From his earliest years, he noticed how comparatively well off his family was compared to many of his friends at school. His friends compensated for what they were unable to buy through handcrafting toys, Michael was impressed, and an obsession with social design was born. 

Michael's father was in the Nigerian military and was a trained automotive engineer, his mother, a fabric designer. Michael describes his foundation years and how he struggled to find a career pathway. His parents had ideas for Michael to enter medicine or law, but these just didn't flick the switch for a young lad increasingly obsessed with design. 

Following school Michael "blagged" his way onto a degree course in automotive design. He had not achieved the required grades (or subjects) for the course but somehow managed to convince the interviewing panel that he had what it took to make up lost ground. Once on the course, he received a rude awakening as he realised that the course was more about the applied use of mathematics and physics than the drawing and designing that he loved, "they assumed vocabulary that I did not have, what was a washer"? 

Michael dug in deep following a first year at university that he describes as "unimpressive". He realised that to pass; he was going to have to work as he had never worked before. Grit is an overused word; but when you face down your tutor and proclaim that you are going to get a top grade in your final year, despite nothing in your record so far demonstrating that this was a possibility...that shows determination. 

Michael graduated with a first in Automotive Design but had already decided that freelance product and industrial design was where he wanted to be. He has recently launched @Plugull a life product to assist a simple everyday activity. 

This was a fantastic conversation with a very likeable and determined young designer. Michaels story can provide inspiration and guidance for students everywhere!

Designed for Life is a new podcast (launch date end of August 2020) brought to you by the Design and Technology Association that sets out to entertain, Inform and Inspire. The podcast takes the format of a series of casual conversations with successful people doing interesting things; be this in education, design, manufacturing, production or any other associated line of business. 

Our intention as the professional association for design and technology teaching and learning in schools is to bring the worlds of education and business/industry closer together; this podcast fully supports that objective. 

Subscribe now and let us bring inspiration and entertainment to your ears! 

This is a big episode for Designed for Life, as we proudly reach number 100! We are delighted to have Dean Kamen, an American engineer, inventor, and businessman, on the show. Dean is known for his inventions of the Segway, iBOT, and Slingshot (a water purification system) and for founding what he proudly calls his greatest invention, FIRST. 

In this episode, we investigate the mindset of a serial inventor to discuss what drives a high-school student to set up a business that yields $60,000 before he finishes school and then pushes him to overcome design challenges, legislation, and the challenges posed by naysayers as he follows his belief that engineering can be a power for good. 

Chris Hatherall is the principal of Warrington UTC, a design and technology teacher, and a Design & Technology Association Trustee. Last year, he came across FIRST and set up a robotics challenge for his local primary schools, which was hugely successful. This year, the challenge has spread to more UTC's nationally and is open to primary colleagues nationally through this network. 

From small beginnings, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Technology) has become a global challenge, with events across multiple countries and nearly three million students competing. Dean's vision was to harness the passion seen openly for sporting events held in large stadiums with hugely competitive students and turn this into one of the world's biggest and most exciting STEM activities. 

2025 is the 35th year of FIRST activities. Last year's competition saw 3,468 teams enter, including almost 87,000 students and 27,700 mentors across 28 countries, including the USA, Canada, China, and Turkey. It is an open competition open to all, and while it is truly competitive, it emphasises the need for collaboration, respect, and teamwork. 

It seems appropriate that we welcome a new sponsor to Designed for Life for our 100th episode. Welcome to Arachne.digital, who have joined the show with an offer to help schools, charities, and public institutions protect against global cyber threats. We are delighted to welcome them on board. 

So, without further ado, grab an hour to yourself and listen to Designed for Life—In Conversation with Dean Kamen and Chris Hatherall.  

https://www.experiential.bot/get-started

https://www.firstinspires.org/

To hear a seven-year-old girl's perspective on FIRST, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igR409sJly0

Robotpagent@utcw.co.uk

https://www.arachne.digital/

How do you build a successful design & technology department from the ground up with an entirely new staff? What curriculum changes should you make at KS3, KS4 and KS5 to ensure you stretch and challenge what are undoubtedly very bright students? What physical changes can you make to the department's look, feel and function when the budget is tight but you want to improve how students and parents view the subject? What role can external visitors and competitions play in building a successful curriculum offer and delivery?

These are all questions that will be tackled in the latest episode of Designed for Life as we head to where Kent touches London in Orpington and talk with staff and students from Newstead Wood School - Sunday Times Schools Guide, State Secondary School of the Year, London, 2025.  

In the podcast, we talk to the Headteacher and other senior staff about the role that D&T plays in providing a broad and balanced curriculum. We also speak with Natalie Cameron, Head of Department, about her journey from this part of Kent to China and Singapore, what pulled her back to her origins, and the leadership challenge she has taken on at Newstead Wood.

We speak with students from Year 7 to Year 13 about their experience of Design & Technology, why creativity and the knowledge, skills, and personal attributes obtained within the subject are essential to them, and perhaps most importantly, why D&T is fun!

So please sit back, grab an hour to yourself, and join me as Designed for Life visits Newstead Wood School https://www.newsteadwood.co.uk/

https://www.designtechnology.org.uk/news/designed-for-life-newstead-wood-school/

In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Marisa Kurimbokus, who was announced as the IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year 2024 at the end of last year. 

In the podcast, we follow Marisa's journey from primary school, where a teacher dropped what I can only assume was a casual comment, but it is one that sticks with her to this day. Through secondary school, where Marisa describes her journey through a range of subjects, including A Level design and technology. And chauffeuring her friend to a lecture only for serendipity to step in and have other ideas. 

We first met Marisa when she was with Triumph Motorcycles. She was then a design engineer helping to organise and run the now sadly defunct Triumph Design Awards. She takes us through her career journey, which has been wide and varied, working in various sectors before arriving at her current role as Head of Engineering at Raeon. 

Finally, we discuss the recently awarded IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year accolade and how Marisa wants to use the spotlight this affords her to encourage more young women to be brave and explore a career in engineering. 

In the conversation you will hear Marisa's passion for what she does, which comes across in bucket loads. I know you will enjoy this conversation, so sit back, grab the dog for a walk or take us on your commute as you listen to Designed for Life in conversation with Marisa Kurimbokus.

https://www.raeon.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisa-kurimbokus-fwes-ceng-imeche/

https://youngwomenengineer.theiet.org/

In this episode, we take the podcast on the road to Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) and talk with YouTube stalwarts Brothers Make, Louise Dennis, Curator at MoDiP (Museum of Design in Plastics) and Will Strange, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader (Sustainable Design) at AUB. The podcast was recorded on February 5th in the main lecture theatre at the university with an audience comprising AUB students and lecturers and students and their D&T teacher from a local school. 

In this episode, we stray from the show's normal format as the Brothers Make take us on their journey from school to how an initial desire to "hang out together after work" has become something of a YouTube hit that now takes them worldwide as they seek to inform others on how to replicate their sustainable practices and success. 

Louise describes how an initial desire to join the army instead turned into a passion for design and museum curation. Louise brought some artefacts from the museum to the podcast, and we have included a link to photographs of these items here: https://www.designtechnology.org.uk/for-education/media-video-and-podcasts/podcasts/live-at-arts-university-bournemouth/ 

Last but not least, Will will discuss the details of an exciting new course in sustainable design that will be offered at AUB for the first time this summer. 

You will also hear questions from the audience at the end of the podcast (including one that had his teacher sitting uncomfortably as it was answered)! So sit back and enjoy Designed for Life - Live from Arts University Bournemouth.  

Growing up with a love of mathematics, Titi thought a career as a maths teacher was beckoning until a conversation with one of her sister's friends opened up the possibility of becoming an engineer. A comment that stood out for me in this conversation was her sister's friend's statement, "You don't have to love chemistry or be brilliant at it to become a chemical engineer." It's not exactly the career advice we might all expect, but it's accurate nonetheless.  

Titi is a chartered engineer with experience providing safety assurance, risk and reliability management expertise for various engineering systems and major projects in the hydrogen, energy and transportation industries. She holds a first-class undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos. Nigeria and a Masters degree in Advanced Chemical Engineering (Process Systems Engineering specialisation) from Imperial College London.

Titi is passionate about promoting and changing misconceptions about the engineering profession and is always eager to contribute to efforts to celebrate engineering excellence and make engineering more accessible and appealing to people from diverse backgrounds.

In this podcast, you will hear Titi's journey from school to an engineering degree at a university in Lagos. She will discuss how she has carefully planned her career experiences to ensure she develops as a rounded engineer with experience across a range of sectors and how she is slowly learning to become more comfortable being labelled a 'role model' for future engineers.

This is a great way to start 2025 on Designed for Life, so for the first time this year, get those headphones active and listen to Designed for Life in conversation with Titi Oliyide. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/titi-oliyide
https://engineertiti.com/

Somehow, another year has passed, and it's time to look back on Designed for Life across 2024. Over the year, we released sixteen new episodes, reached over 31,000 streams, reached new audiences in Asia and America and, most importantly, got to speak with some amazing and inspiring guests.   

In this end-of-year episode, we look back and have selected clips from a range of conversations, including fashion and textile expert Amanda Riley, AUB lecturer and modelmaker Claire Holman, Denimolite founder and designer Josh Myers, Marloe watch co-founder and designer Gordon Fraser, Pipsqueak founder and owner Nick Ford, Head of Learning and Development at UKBIC Jonty Deeley Williamson and last (but not least) Greenpower CEO Barnabas Shelbourne. 

I have tried to pick clips that stood out over the year and have hopefully combined these into a reflective podcast that epitomises our mission at the Design and Technology Association to better connect the worlds of business and education. 

So one last time in 2024, get those earbuds in, grab the dog for a walk, take us to the gym or pull up a chair and grab some 'me time' as you listen to Designed for Life wrapped 2024. 

With sincere thanks to The Edge Foundation, who first joined us in the autumn of 2024 and have assisted the podcast's journey to this stage, without your help and support, this would not have been possible.

We look forward to new adventures in 2025. 

Imagine accidentally being put off from a career in engineering by your brilliant grandfather who, without realising, made a career in the sector sound unreachable. Hepzi Rattray is a structural engineer with the global engineering company Ramboll, but for many years, she attempted to avoid following this career trajectory.

In this penultimate podcast of 2024, we follow Hepzi's journey from school, where she turned down the offer of a top private school to attend Lady Margaret's, a church-state school in Parsons Green, West London. Some unexpected AS results forced something of a rethink and pointed her towards a somewhat unique engineering degree at Glasgow University.

Even as Hepzi progressed through the course, she was still uncertain if this was the career for her. Her mind finally made up when she undertook a placement at Ramboll, and everything finally dropped into place.

In this conversation, you will hear Hepzi's passion for her work, the strong relationship between engineering and her other passion, music, and why she is determined to use her position to inspire others into the profession.

So pull up a chair, grab a drink and a mince pie (there must be one left), and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Structural Engineer Hepzi Rattray.  

https://www.ramboll.com/

Thanks as always go to The Edge Foundation for their unwavering support that makes this podcast possible. 

Barnabas is the CEO of The Greenpower Education Trust. This charity works with young people nationally to introduce them to using their STEM education in a very practical way to create battery-driven vehicles that then compete in regional and national heats. 

Having experienced 'Greenpower' as a teacher, headteacher, and now as CEO of the Design & Technology Association, I was desperate to get behind the scenes with its new CEO and explore the people and passion that make Greenpower so compelling to so many students (and their parents nationally).

In this podcast, we follow Barnabas through school in Surrey and a challenging home situation that at least partly defined his early years. I should warn listeners that this episode talks very frankly about depression, mental illness and suicide, so please exercise caution before listening. That said, I cannot thank Barnabas enough for his honesty in the interview; our experiences help define us and the genuine, hard-working and empathetic CEO that he is today is a result of his life experiences to date. 

We follow his journey to America, where he took time to learn about himself and found a faith that has helped to drive him since. 

He returns home to a succession of jobs that indirectly and almost accidentally lead to a career in Youth work that has recently segwayed into running Greenpower Education Trust. 

I loved this conversation, and I know you will too, so sit back, put the headphones on, pour something nice to drink and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Barnabas Shelbourne.

https://www.greenpower.co.uk/
https://www.hfehmind.org.uk/home/help-now/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiOGF6J-ligMV5opQBh1sIy9KEAAYAiAAEgK9JfD_BwE

In this episode, we turn to Food and Nutrition in the school curriculum and look at the challenges facing this aspect of National Curriculum education. Over the last few weeks, I have been fortunate to be introduced to Leith's Education and walked through their curriculum resources from KS1 to Post 16 (and extracurricular). These come at a cost (see below), but having seen them, I believe these are resources that every school should at least consider. See https://leiths.com/

We also discuss how Leith's has partnered with Roehampton University to create a new PGCE course aimed at increasing the number of teachers qualifying in this area over the coming years. Alongside this, there is a Level 7 course suitable for those perhaps without a degree but with life experience and other qualifications that can assist their pathway into teaching. 

Leith's Education has supplied the following information:

Leiths Education has been working with schools for over 25 years and has grown from the renowned culinary school founded by Prue Leith in 1975. Its work is all about helping schools deliver exceptional cookery teaching for children and young people of all ages.

Food education faces significant challenges with steadily reducing numbers of specialist teachers in secondary schools, few practical cookery lessons in primary schools, and insufficient facilities and equipment in many schools. To help reverse these trends, Leiths has teamed up with the University of Roehampton to introduce two new national qualifications to help fast-track the recruitment and training of food teachers.

For more information, visit https://leiths.com/explore/professional-development/

Course costs (for more details, please see Leith's Education website).

Registration Fee
Only for schools delivering the below accredited and life skills cookery courses
Leiths Education Standard Package £3,250
Accredited courses - a total of 3 visits over the duration of the course
Life Skills courses - a total of 2 visits over the duration of the course

Cookalong Courses
Per annum subscription, no limit on student numbers (no registration fee required)
Leiths Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Curriculum £395
Leiths Key Stage 3 Curriculum £595
Leiths Co-Curricular Cookery £595

Student Assessment Fees
Payable per student, this fee covers all course-specific costs
Accredited Cookery Courses
Leiths CTH Level 3 Extended Certificate in Professional Cookery £545
Leiths CTH Level 2 Certificate in Culinary Skills £345

So sit back and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Maria Dunbar, Director of Education at Leith's Education. 

Thanks, as always, to the Edge Foundation for their continued support of Designed for Life.  

We have been offline for a short while whilst we evaluate, reconsider where the podcast is heading and reset. This is the first of what will be a regular series of brief updates between the main podcasts. 

In these, we aim to tell you what we are up to at the Design & Technology Association, highlight any primary areas of work you might not be aware of, discuss what's going on with the subject, and occasionally bring in guests to help inform the conversation.

These pods will never be more than 12 minutes in length and will be released between the main Designed for Life podcasts...but only when there is something relevant to say!

Let us know what you think.

In this week’s episode of Designed for Life, we are fortunate to speak with Dr Hilary Leevers, the Chief Executive of Engineering UK.

We break from the usual show format to explore some of the data surrounding entry to engineering as a profession and discuss Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, which this year runs from November 11th to 15th.

EngineeringUK drives change so that more young people choose engineering and technology careers. You can join us by getting involved in Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2024. This annual celebration is dedicated to showcasing the amazing work that engineers do and inspiring young people to explore careers in engineering. It’s an exciting opportunity for schools, teachers and industry professionals to come together and make a real impact.

Want to get involved? You can find everything you need to participate in this year’s events, including activities, resources, and ways to engage, by visiting the official website: www.eukeducation.org.uk/teweek

Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Be part of the buzz on social media by using the hashtag #TEWeek24. Check out all the resources and prepare for a week packed with inspiration and innovation!

This is a wide-ranging conversation around all entry routes to engineering as a career I know you will find interesting (engaging education and industry colleagues alike). So sit back, put those headphones in and listen to Designed for Life in conversation with Dr Hilary Leevers. 

Thanks as always to The Edge Foundation for their continued support of Designed for Life. 

Talk about battery power and people's attention automatically turns to electric vehicles, but in reality, this is one sector of a rapidly growing market. With this growth, there is an increasing need for young people to enter the sector and help design and make the power plants of the future. 

In this episode, we talk with Jonty Deely Williamson, who heads up learning and development at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) 

Previously a science teacher, he has worked in Learning & Development for more than a decade in the rail construction, high-speed rail, food manufacturing and battery manufacturing sectors. 

Working on various projects including the Elizabeth line, HS2 skill development, installation of a new food manufacturing line, and supporting skills from operatives to directors, his role at UKBIC is to develop battery manufacturing skills and training courses at all levels for the UK.

UKBIC is a key part of the UK government-funded Faraday Battery Challenge, which has been delivered by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, with the aim of building a high-tech, high-value, high-skill battery industry in the UK. 

So sit back, grab 50 minutes to yourself and enjoy Designed for Life, in conversation with Jonty Deeley Williamson.

Thanks as always to The Edge Foundation for making these conversations possible.

In this episode, we talk with Nick Ford, founder of the design studio Pipsqueak and IP development specialist. Nick talks us through his school education, which took place at a time when neurodiversity was not so easily recognised or accounted for. 
Several very diverse jobs followed as Nick sought to find his way in the world of work from a mechanics role that wasn't quite what he thought it would be to a cleaner in an engine machine shop and a motorcycle courier. 

Whilst it is safe to say that none of these roles offered Nick what he was looking for, he gave each role his all, picked up information, and learned from each one. 
All of the above eventually led to the creation of a company that designed and made working showpieces and exhibits for museums. It was leading up to the Millennium, and a lot of business and money was available to mark the start of a new age. Sadly, Nick and his business partner failed to see the inevitable shutting off of this ready income stream. The once highly profitable business quickly lost cash flow, and the company had to close as a result. Thanks must go to Nick for being so open about how this happened and for sharing the learning and scars that live to this day.  

And so, finally, to Pipsqueak. I won't tell you how this new company got its enigmatic name—it's a great story that we include in the pod—but I would implore you to look at the diversity of projects that this design company involves itself in at https://www.pipdev.co.uk.

We cap this conversation off by discussing Nick's newly established company, Patentferret, created to help smaller designers and entrepreneurs protect their IP, a problematic field for many. We also discuss how Nick has helped over twenty school students with work experience and has used design principles to create a structure around this work, linking school students with university undergraduates seeking a working studio experience. 

This is a wide-ranging and, I believe, really enthralling conversation with a designer who loves what he does and is leaving a legacy that continues to develop and grow through his work. 

So sit back, put those earbuds in place and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Nick Ford. 

As always, thanks to The Edge Foundation for their continued support of Designed for Life. 

www.pipdev.co.uk

www.patentferret.co.uk

In this episode, we start a series in which we will talk with Design & Technology Association Trustees about their careers to date and the reasons why being a Trustee of the Association and being connected to its work is important to them. 

We start this series by talking with Bill Williams, Chair of D&TA Trustees.

Bill is an experienced CEO across the manufacturing and engineering sectors. He was formerly a member of the Board of Group Lotus plc, the CEO of the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME) in London, and is presently the Group CEO of Alloy Fabweld, a UK group of manufacturing and innovation companies based in Essex.

During his career, he has worked in the automotive and motorsport industries (including Formula 1 and MotoGP), as well as the pharmaceutical and food manufacturing sectors. He holds an MBA from Cranfield, is an Honorary Fellow of University College London (UCL), a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET).

He commenced his career by completing a Mechanical Engineering Apprenticeship with Michelin Tyre Company and is deeply passionate about apprenticeships and the need for design and technology in the national curriculum. 

Bill is currently in his third year as Chair of the Association and has been a Trustee for over six years. 

So relax, grab 51 minutes to yourself and enjoy Designed for Life - In conversation with Bill Williams. 

As always, huge thanks to The Edge Foundation for their continued support of the podcast.

This is the first episode with young graduates met recently at New Designers 2024 in London. 

Alex graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a second-class BA (Hons) in Product Design. I was struck by the simplicity of his design project and the clear communication of intent within his work. 

It is clear that Alex is very passionate about combating climate change and helping people to live more sustainably; his comment that "I want to utilise my design background to help to bring solutions to this sector" is, in my experience, representative of a significant percentage of his generation who recognises the massive challenges facing mankind and wants to be part of the solution, not a contributor to the problem.  

In the conversation, you will hear how Alex has mapped out a pathway to becoming a talented air source heat pump engineer. He is undoubtedly a talented and driven young designer, and I know he would welcome 'reachouts' from anyone who feels they may be able to contribute to his journey. 

Linkedin.com/in/alex-ball-439339224

In this episode, we are delighted to converse with Design education specialist, advisor, teacher and CLEAPSS consultant Trudi Barrow.

It seems like a strange statement, but we rarely have a design and technology teacher and leader on the podcast, so in this episode, we follow Trudi's journey into teaching but then spend a good part of the conversation talking about the subject, its challenges and where it may be heading to.  I have to say it was a pleasure to hold this discussion with someone passionate about the value of design and technology education and what it can offer young people.

Trudi has recently taken on a role leading for CLEAPSS within design and technology, and many people will have seen her online journey as she has deep-dived into the use of AI and where this can be utilised within design education.

I really enjoyed this conversation, and I think you will too, so get those earphones in and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Trudi Barrow.

Trudi's website: www.trudibarrow.com

Futureminds Home Page: https://sites.google.com/view/cleapss-futureminds/home  

https://www.cleapss.org.uk

In this episode, we are delighted to talk with Dawn Foxall and Roy Ballam about the recently released paper commissioned by the Textiles Skills Centre, 'Unravelling the Fabric of Textiles Education'.  

As we seek to move the subject forward, building from the bottom up being our approach at the Association, we need to carefully look at where textiles fits into primary and secondary education. Our view is that we want to keep textile education within design and technology, a position that is perhaps challenged by the large number of textile teachers who are now delivering examinations within art and design in secondary education. 

We were, therefore, somewhat relieved and delighted that this report strongly indicates that textile teachers have moved predominantly for the assessment methodology adopted through art & design and a strong desire to "teach to their expertise" at KS4 and KS5. A large majority have stated in this report that they would come back to design and technology if the examination requirements were adapted to allow them to do this within the subject; this giving us a clear steer as we seek to start the process of reform. 

We drop the normal format of the podcast and dive straight into the report on this episode; there is so much that demands discussion. Thanks to Dawn and to Roy for giving up their time to talk with me. You can download the report from the TSC: https://www.textilesskillscentre.com/

As always, huge thanks to the Edge Foundation for their continued support of this podcast. 

In this conversation, we follow Gordon Fraser, Co-founder of the Marloe Watch Company, on his journey from a difficult school experience to co-founding a successful British-designed watch company.  

With his Co-founder Oliver, whom he met online, the two founded The Marloe Watch Company and produced their first two watches without meeting (and living in two different countries). As the company grew, Oliver was the first to 'give up the day job' and concentrate 100% on the success of their venture, followed closely by Gordon. 

Gordon discusses the importance of understanding user requirements while designing a watch that you, as the designer, would be proud to wear. We also discuss the importance of storytelling in design and how we are all seeking to buy and wear objects that help define our tastes and unique persona. 

You don't have to be a watch lover to love this conversation (although I have to confess that I am). Gordon's passion for what he loves to do shines through as we discuss the highs and lows of owning your own design business. 

Gordon uses a phrase that is worth exploring on its own: his growing "intolerance to imperfection," especially when design translates to manufacturing. Process and 'value engineering' push you as a designer to one compromise too many. 

So grab an hour to yourself. Take the dog for a walk, place us in your ears for your gym workout or just grab a coffee and listen to Designed for Life - in conversation with Gordon Fraser. 

https://www.marloewatchcompany.com/
And if you want to fall down the rabbit hole we discussed on the pod (and I would recommend it) follow this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FhTu3aGM60&list=PLB00JHoTw1TeX82Qw8hoFLRJI89Us_jMw

In this episode, we are in conversation with Claire Holman, modelmaking professional and lecturer at Arts University Bournemouth.

We follow Claire's journey from a fairly nomadic start as her family moved first to Zambia and then to England, closely followed by Scotland as her father's work dictated their journey. This was followed at age sixteen by Claire leaving school and taking on a YTS course (if you are old enough, you know. If not, a government initiative to direct young people into training and employment). Here, she was subjected to some deplorable practice as the college concerned used the course as a 'cash cow', and the students were an essential part of the payment process for the college...but no more!

Sometimes, it takes a negative experience to produce a positive, and the bitter taste that this left with Claire drove her later in her career as she took a role (twenty-five years ago now) with the Arts University Bournemouth) "every student has a right to have teachers that are present, not just in the physical sense, but are on the journey with them, fully engaged".

We follow Claire's journey in modelmaking both in the UK and Canada and finally talk with her about what she has learned in over twenty-five years of educating students in design, modelmaking and prototyping in Bournemouth.

This discussion is one for students and educators nationally. Claire's love of teaching and her desire to get better at what she does professionally with each passing day comes over clearly in our discussion. I just know you are going to love this!

https://aub.ac.uk/
BA(Hons) Modelmaking: https://aub.ac.uk/course/modelmaking

NEW - BA(Hons) Creative Technologies: https://aub.ac.uk/course/creative-technologies

NEW - BA(Hons) Design for Sustainable Futures: https://aub.ac.uk/course/design-for-sustainable-futures

Other AUB courses of interest:

NEW – BA(Hons) Interior Architecture for Health and Wellbeing https://aub.ac.uk/course/interior-architecture-health-and-wellbeing

BA(Hons) interior Architecture & Design: https://aub.ac.uk/course/interior-architecture

This episode sees us in conversation with Sophie Hague - 2022 RSA Student Award winner and UX Designer.

Sophie found school difficult, not so much academically, but she found it over-stimulating, crowded and overall, just not an enjoyable experience. The one exception to this was design and technology lessons, where she enjoyed the 'open-endedness' of problem-solving activities and just 'clicked'.

As she progressed on her learning journey, Sophie found out just how she liked to learn. Experiential learning worked for her and she realised that to truly understand a topic, she needed to touch it, to feel it or to see the problem set within a real-world context that she could relate to. This metacognition became a major part of Sophie's development, and she developed a sound and blossoming love of learning.

At the age of 11, Sophie decided she wanted to be a designer, and she has been following that pathway since.

Her first degree opened doors in her mind that naturally led to a post-graduate Masters taken at Leeds University. It was here that Sophie was introduced to the RSA Awards, of which she says: "The brief allowed me to explore who I wanted to be, not only as a designer but also as a person. It changed my perception of what design is, what it can be and what I can make it".

This episode is the story of a young designer discovering her own academic ability as she explores the world of design. It was a joy to record, and I just know you are going to enjoy it too.

https://www.thersa.org/blog/2023/11/rsa-student-design-awards-winner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-hague-b08b66197?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

https://www.instagram.com/sophs.design.stuff?igsh=MWNia2dra3hhN2J3cQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

https://www.sophiehague.co.uk/

In this podcast, we are going to test your knowledge of UK manufacturing, your memory, and empathy for items that, by their very nature, invoke nostalgia, as we take you through a journey that transcends technological change and leads through a combination of determination, an 'old-fashioned' desire to be the very best in a field, and contains equal amounts of passion and innovation. 

Sound Leisure is a truly unique company. Built on one man's dream and passion for combining engineering and music, Sound Leisure is now the leading manufacturer of jukeboxes, not just in the UK but arguably worldwide.

Sound Leisure started in 1978 with a custom-designed jukebox, and today is the only manufacturer in the world producing classic jukeboxes for all major formats, including CD, Digital, Vinyl 45 and Vinyl LP, with all jukeboxes coming fitted with Bluetooth. And all of this comes not from Nashville or Germany, but proudly from Leeds. 

In this conversation with Chris Black, who, with his brother, leads the company founded by his father, inventor and electrical engineer Alan Black, the company remains owned and run by Alan and his family, making it the oldest, single-ownership jukebox company anywhere in the world.

From its foundation to the present day, Sound Leisure has remained a brave and forward-thinking organisation. From becoming the first British company to design, develop and build a commercially viable and widely adopted jukebox platform in the 1970s, they went on to pioneer the early development of digitised music platforms in the 1980s and were responsible for the reintroduction of vinyl jukeboxes in 2016. 

They remain a globally recognised and respected leader in their sector, with countless patents and industry-firsts to their name. Their consistent success and growth over a 40-year period, which saw the demise of many long-established jukebox manufacturers such as Seeburg and Wurlitzer, is based on an ongoing commitment to developing better products and technologies and an unfailing focus on high-quality British manufacturing.

Chris has heavily invested in his local community, keen to grow his company with local talent, and has reached out to schools and colleges to identify young people who possess the drive, determination, and passion to join Sound Leisure's journey. 

This podcast was an absolute pleasure to record. Chris and his team are on a mission to make every jukebox they create unique. Handcrafted and featuring the latest carefully assembled technologies, you are not just buying a machine from Sound Leisure; you are joining a family.

To view Sound Leisure's Classic Jukebox range, visit  www.soundleisure.com. 

To view their operations webpage, visit  https:/www.operations.soundleisure.com/

And for their kids division visit – www.Slkids.co.uk

Huge thanks to Arachne.digital for their sponsorship and support, which make these podcasts possible. Reach out to them, free to ensure 

Denim jeans have become an integral part of modern-day life.  The majority of us own at least one pair (I personally have to confess to seven)! But how are these garments made? At what cost to the environment? And when they reach end of life how many of us give proper thought to where our once-loved products end up?

Josh Myers is on a mission to turn these discarded garments into aesthetically beautiful products that see the material being given a second life, good news for the environment, and with his patented product Denimolite providing beauty, strength and flexibility of use, the potential uses are endless.

In this episode, we follow Josh's journey from a rural upbringing in Cumbria to life in London and South Bank University, where during the Covid lockdown, he started to experiment with materials and shredded denim mixed with resin (encouraged by his father, who is a prosthetic engineer brought some favourable results. Hundreds of hours of experimentation later, Josh has created a beautiful and highly adaptable material that takes discarded garments and turns them into something really quite special https://indd.adobe.com/view/f1af327f-41e9-4353-8185-6bab9e26ac50

Join us in this conversation, within which we follow Josh's journey from school to university and through the creation to date of his award winning material. This is a story of success over adversity, of persistence, and of tenacity...through his own words, Josh has become slightly "obsessed" with making Denimolite a success for the good of others and for environmental good. 

So grab the dog for a walk, take us to the gym, or just find a cosy chair, pour a coffee and listen to Designed for Life, in conversation with Innovator, founder and company owner Josh Myers. 

https://www.denimolite.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/denimolite-ltd/

Amanda was somewhat destined to work in fashion from an early age. Influenced by her grandmother, who placed her in front of a sewing machine at age eight, she quickly learned how to use the machine and how to make her own clothes. Her grandmother's throwaway comment, having made her own dress only a short time after being introduced to the sewing machine, stuck, and Amanda's journey into the fashion industry was set. 

A combination of sheer determination, ability, grit, and, it has to be stated, a degree of bravery saw Amanda experience the industry from almost every angle as she progressed quickly within it. 

Following a number of years working abroad, Amanda returned to the UK. Parenthood brought with it a different perspective on aspects of the industry that had troubled her for a while. In 2009 she declined an offer to progress on her career pathway, and following a period of time where she painted and reflected on her next move, she set up The Fashion Factory (Fashionfactory.uk - offline),  a business run from her home and working to empower young people how to use their hands and a sewing machine to upcycle old clothes into garments that they would be proud to wear. 

The business was initially advertised through posters pinned to trees, but word of mouth soon took over, and Amanda soon found that her classes were full with long waiting lists of parents waiting to join this 'movement'. 

COVID hit the business hard in 2020, and Amanda set about tackling a problem that had troubled her for a while. In her own words, "Trying to teach ten or more students how to use the sewing machine at the same time was like trying to teach ten pianists all playing different tunes".  And so, armed with a home camera and editing software, she started to record and assemble a collection of videos that, when pieced together, allowed students to learn how to sew and create garments at their own pace. And so Fashion Rebellion was created https://www.fashionrebellion.co.uk

In this podcast, we follow Amanda's journey from school to where she is today and towards the end of the podcast, we have an offer for schools interested in exploring how Fashion Rebellion might work within their school. 

I believe this is a journey you will not want to miss. 

For enquiries about possibly introducing Fashion Rebellion in your school, please contact amanda@FashionRebellion.co.uk 

In this first podcast of 2024, we are delighted to be in conversation with  Reianna Shakil, UKRI Young Innovators Awards 22/23 Winner | Multidisciplinary Designer | Founder + Director of Studio ZRX.

In this conversation, we cover Reianna's journey from school through how she overcame problems when her funding ran out part way through her sixth form course and then how she had to find ways to manage her way through her degree, being diagnosed with Combined Type ADHD part way through her studies.

This is a story of perseverance. Many people, faced with some of the issues that Reianna has encountered, would have thrown their arms in the air and found an easier pathway. You will learn this is not Reianna's way; she has dug in and found a way to achieve what she set her heart on from the start.

This is a heartwarming pod for the start of the year and one that I think you will enjoy. 

So sit back, grab that last slice of Christmas cake that is ruining your New Year's diet and enjoy Designed for Life - in conversation with Reianna Shakil. 

Huge thanks, as always, to The Edge Foundation for their continued support of this podcast.

So that was 2023! 

Twenty-four episodes of Designed for Life were recorded and published over the course of the year, fulfilling our promise of at least one podcast every two weeks. In these pods, I have been fortunate to speak with a wide range of innovators, founders, designers, engineers, academics, teachers and students, and here in this (admittedly longer than usual podcast), we pick out some of the best moments of 2023 and put them in one place for your listening delight.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank every single guest from the almost eighty who have given their time to be on the podcast since we started in summer 2020. This really has turned into a passion project; speaking with such talented and creative people has become one of the joys of my role as Chief Executive of the Association. 

I would also like to thank the Edge Foundation for their continued support. As I have stated so many times on the podcast, without their support, we simply would not be able to produce these conversations. 

And last, but not least, I would like to thank you...our listeners. You have streamed the pod almost 25,000 times, and you are the reason we do this work. The feedback that you provide is our fuel not only to continue, but to make this podcast bigger and better. 

We have ambitious plans for next year, including bringing the pod live to more schools across the UK. If you would be willing to host an event for students and their parents at your school (or at a local business), then please do reach out to designedforlife@designtechnology.org.uk

So one last time for 2023, grab the dog lead but prepare the hound for a long walk, take us to the gym but don't go too hard, too soon, or just grab a coffee and a mince pie and listen to the best bits of Designed for Life 2023. 

Where was the first music concert you ever attended? Who was the artist? Who did you see this artist/band with? And finally, how did you feel as you left the gig? If you are like me and love your live music, these are questions that will roll off the tongue. For me, it was the Police. I was fifteen years old and with my best mate from school, the gig was at Hammersmith Odean, and it left me buzzing and wanting more!

In this podcast, we are in conversation with Becky Pell. Becky is a sound engineer touring internationally with some of the biggest names in music. In this conversation, we trace her journey from school to a career that drew her in from her very first concert as a fifteen-year-old, where she saw A-ha live and found her attention split between Morten Harket and the other band members and the engineers working the sound desk in front of her. As she left that concert with her dad, her mind was made up; this was the career for her!

Through this conversation, we gain a glimpse of what life ‘on the road’ is like, explore what it takes as a woman to carve out a career in what is sadly still a male-dominated profession and hear from Becky about the pure joy of her job as she watches thousands of people enjoy the night of their lives...partly because she has done her job well, allowing the performers to do what they do to the very best of their ability.

This is a joyful podcast and one that will change the way that you look at the engineers working at a concert the next time you listen to live music. So grab the dog lead and plug us in your ears, take us to the gym, or just sit back and relax and listen to Designed for Life in conversation with Becky Pell.

To find out more about Tomorrow’s Engineers Week and access their free teaching resources and on-demand schools broadcast, you can visit www.teweek.org.uk/ 

To find out more about EngineeringUK’s work to drive change so that more young people choose engineering and technology careers, visit www.engineeringuk.com

As always, thanks to The Edge Foundation for their continued sponsorship of this podcast. 

How many of you reading this have fond childhood memories of reading the Beano? I am guessing many of you could name most of the characters from the Beano now; some of you may still have Christmas Annuals tucked away somewhere in the loft. Well, the good news is the Beano is still alive and well...in fact, it is in rude health. 

So when I received an email asking if I would like to speak with Alex Harris (BBC Teach) and Mike Sterling (Creative Director at Beano...although he also has another job title), the answer was an immediate yes!

What followed was an absolutely joyful conversation, sometimes the chat just flows, and we almost forget that the microphones are on and rolling, and this is one of those occasions. 

These two organisations have come together to create a truly inspiring resource aimed at primary school teachers. Comic creativity inspired by Dennis, Gnasher and Minnie the Minx 

The new BBC Teach Beano – how to create a comic set of resources provide a step-by-step guide to help children to make their own comic, from creating characters, to constructing worlds to developing stories. 

Three classroom videos featuring Beano Studios’ mischief makers introduce children to visualising characters as stick people, creating a story mountain, and building a soundscape with words like ‘clang’ or ‘squelch’. 

The new resources are rooted in Beano’s 85 years of expertise in comics and creativity. Featuring Beano creatives Mike Stirling, Ed Stockham, Rhiannon Tate and Craig Graham, the free videos are designed for teachers to use with their primary classes at Key Stage 2, 2nd Level and Progression steps 2 and 3 across the UK. They include everything needed to create a comic as part of a whole class project. The resources are accompanied by teacher notes, templates (thought balloons, head shapes and story mountains) and a specially designed comic book layout.

To access Beano – how to create a comic, visit: https://tinyurl.com/yx7c37x9

So sit back, put your earphones in, grab an hour to yourself and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Mike Sterling (Beano) and Alex Harris (BBC). 

This is part two of a two-part mini-series in which we explore the development of the design and technology curriculum offer at Hethersett Academy in East Anglia. If you have not yet listened to part one, I suggest you go back and listen to this first, as there is something of a sequence. 

In this episode, we follow on from our conversation with Kate Finlay, Head of Department and Trust Curriculum Lead by talking with students, parents, the design and technology staff and the Headteacher.  Through these conversations we gain a full picture of how the curriculum has developed at Hethersett, the value of D&T to all concerned and gain some wonderful insights from students. 

So sit back, relax and listen to Designed for Life - In conversation with the staff, students and parents from Hethersett Academy. 

Huge thanks to all the staff and students at Hethersett for their help and co-operation to make this pod possible, and as always thanks to The Edge Foundation for the continued support that makes these podcasts possible. 

 https://www.hethersettacademy.org/

In the second of our focus podcasts within a specific school, we are delighted to bring you 'Designed for Life' in conversation with Hethersett Academy in East Anglia. 

The intention within these podcasts is to provide listeners with a complete 360 journey around the design and technology department in the school, with interviews and thoughts from students, teachers, parents and senior leaders. From these conversations, you can piece together the value of the subject to the curriculum within these schools. 

This is part one of a two-episode podcast, and here we talk with Kate Finlay, the Curriculum Leader for design and technology for the Inspiration Trust, who run several schools (primary and secondary) in the area. 

In this podcast, you will hear a very open conversation with Kate in which she discusses the steps taken to build a department and how she has built a strong team around a shared vision. She talks about the highs and the challenges that she has had to face and how the vision in place at Hethersett Academy is being shared across other schools both within and outside of the Inspiration Trust. 

So grab the dog and put those earbuds in place, take us with you to the gym, or find a cosy chair and a coffee, sit back and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Hethersett Academy. 

https://www.hethersettacademy.org/

In this episode, we are delighted to be joined in conversation by Jenny Body CBE. 

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Aerospace Bristol on the morning of our annual awards ceremony on the 13th of October this year. The recording was made almost within touching distance of Concorde, an aircraft that Jenny had the privilege of working on some years ago.

Jenny Body is a British Aerospace engineer and former President (the first ever woman to hold this post) of the  Royal Aeronautical Society. Jenny grew up in rural Gloucestershire; her father was an aerospace engineer, and her mum worked hard to qualify as a dispensing chemist. Growing up, Jenny was naturally good at maths/physics but also developed a passion for English, which still stays with her to this day. 

Told by her headteacher that engineering was "not a suitable career for a young woman", she thankfully ignored this advice and, throughout her career, has worked to demonstrate that gender should be no barrier to progression in her chosen profession. 

Working in the avionics group at British Aerospace, Jenny was part of the team that generated some of the first 'fly by wire' software. She established and led the Next Generation Composite Wing Programme, one of the most extensive and expensive research programmes in the history of British Aerospace. In 2002 Jenny was made engineering lead on the Nimrod wing design team. 

In 2013, Jenny became the first female President of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Whilst she very humbly places this in our conversation, this was hugely significant as not only her gender was in play here, but also her route to this role and the fact that she came from a civilian background and not through the RAF, where many of the previous holders of this post had graduated from.  

Already an OBE. Jenny was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours list this in recognition of her services to aerospace engineering.  

This is a fascinating conversation with a groundbreaking engineer as we trace her journey from school to working with government to secure funding and lead a huge engineering team to advance British Aerospace. 

So sit back, grab an hour to yourself and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Jenny Body CBE. 

In this episode, I was delighted to be in conversation with Jennifer Campbell, Managing Director of Giles Agency Hong Kong. 

In the pod, we track Jen's journey from rural Berkshire through the discovery that her natural penchant to quickly strike up conversations with people, together with an ability to sell and the tenacity to hang on in there when sales didn't go as planned, could actually become a career. 

A move to a large agency in London (she wasn't aware quite how big a deal this was until friends were surprised that she had secured the position) allowed her to really learn the business of marketing, enhancing her natural abilities and, along the way, having fun doing so. 

A strong desire to somehow be involved in the 2012 London Olympics saw Jen shift jobs and work on the marketing campaign for one of the event's major sponsors. Then came a move abroad with a desire to be closer to family in Australia, seeing Jen move to take up a role in Hong Kong, where she has laid routes and is now MD at The Giles Agency, a role that she has held since October 2018. 

Jen has also teamed up with colleagues to run a business marketing podcast, 'The Disconnected,' available wherever you stream your podcasts (Looking at social and tech trends in marketing). 

If you are interested in digital marketing and want to learn more about the journey from mainstream education into the industry, do give this a listen. 

Thank you to Jen for reaching out and being such a great guest to chat with and, of course, to the Edge Foundation, whose support allows us to keep creating these conversations. 

New Blades is an annual model-making exhibition and recruitment fair held in London each year, showcasing the work of graduating students from various UK universities and colleges. It's a key event for connecting emerging talent in the model-making industry with employers and professionals. The event is organized by 4D Modelshop, a major supplier to British model makers. 

This is the first time the Design & Technology Association has attended this exhibition but it certainly won’t be the last. In this podcast we talk with students, university lecturers and industry professionals as we seek to follow each student interviewed on their journey from inspiration, through school and university, to a career in architecture, film and other exciting related industries. 

This podcast was recorded in a crowded exhibition on mobile recording equipment, I believe it successfully captures the excitement and bustle of a crowded centre, but the sound may not be on a par with our usual standard; I hope you can appreciate why.

We reference many of the student models on show in our conversations, these can be seen in their full glory through this link:

https://www.designtechnology.org.uk/news/new-blades-2025-celebrates-the-next-generation-of-modelmakers/

Huge thanks to Arachne.digital your cyber threat intelligence platform for their support that makes these podcasts possible. Contact them for a free appraisal of your school’s cyber security. 

This is a very different venture for Designed for Life.  It’s one we are keen to replicate should you, the listener feel it appropriate. We would really appreciate your feedback, positive or otherwise to designedforlife@designtechnology.org.uk

This podcast was recorded in front of a live audience at The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. This is the first of a series of live podcasts to come as we take Designed for Life on the road to meet not only our stunning guests but also teachers, students and their parents.

In this podcast, I was fortunate to be in conversation with Charlotte Chapman, CEng. MIMechE. Charlotte is a project manager at Royal IHC. In the pod, we follow Charlotte's journey through school to decide between a love of Engineering and a passion for English Literature. We look at how life's events may sometimes appear to block your way forward, but, with hindsight, sometimes things happen for a reason!

Charlotte designs, tests and commissions some incredible machines designed to lay cabling and infrastructure underwater in some very challenging environments. In the podcast, we discuss how such a complex machine moves through the journey from identification of the initial problem to exploration of this problem and the desired solution, through to initial thoughts, ideas and prototypes, then modelling and building of prototypes until eventual build, testing and commissioning of the final solution.  

Videos of some of the machines that Charlotte has been involved with over the years can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89Tfq6L_wiQ For a more comprehensive picture of the engineering footprint of Royal IHC, see here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_96s0vkYMc&list=PLouhu6zaw0crd6bT7wrGiGkTFIP874oHL

It was an absolute pleasure to hear Charlotte's story and to share it with the students and their parents on the evening. I know you will enjoy it too, so sit back, relax and listen to Designed for Life Live - In conversation with Charlotte  Chapman. 

Thanks to staff, students and their parents at The Royal Grammar School for being such excellent hosts. 

https://www.royalihc.com/

Larry Sullivan is a serial entrepreneur, business founder, angel investor and social philanthropist. In this podcast, we track Larry's journey from humble beginnings growing up in Essex to a sudden awakening to academia in sixth form, leading him to be the first in his family to attend university. 

A chance conversation led him to travel to America during his summer break with BUNAC https://bunac.org an experience that he feels offered as much, or more, to his personal development than his university experience alone. 

This podcast has taught me that entrepreneurship can be taught, and skills can be improved and fine-tuned, but that entrepreneurial spirit is carried within people born to work for themselves and create a new business entity. Larry's first business saw a gap in the market and successfully met a need; this later led to the creation of COINS Global https://www.coins-global.com, a company that Larry led and nurtured for over two decades before recently exiting "in the right manner". 

Larry Sullivan is a successful businessman, no doubt, but what differentiates him is his desire for business to "be a force for good". He views business as an essential tool to help make the world a better place and, over the years, has put his money where his mouth is in this respect and continues to do so. He founded the Coins Foundation in 2006 (now Leolion Foundation) https://www.leolionfoundation.org and, through this, has worked with carefully selected third-sector partners, including Habitat for Humanity https://www.habitat.org and PEAS https://www.peas.org.uk

Several books and links are mentioned in the podcast, including:

• How much land does a man need - Leo Tolstoy 
• Post Corona from crisis to opportunity - Scott Galloway
• Eat the Rich - P.J. O'rourke
• The fortune at the bottom of the Pyramid - C.K Prahlad
• The Bottom Billion - Paul Collier
• Freebird Films - https://www.freebirdfilm.tv/
• Future of capitalism competition - https://www.borntoengineer.com/future-of-capitalism-competition-new-tech-startup-competition

If you want to see the difference Stepping Stones school has made to the lives of young people who attended, please do check out these alumni case studies https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1-rDCXeAPfJe78WV6XFt4Glx93IowIMp&si=cFVMvRaDPgRhSc0R

I have known Larry for years and not only enjoyed recording this podcast but learned from it. I hope and feel you will, too. Let us know what you think!

The joy of this podcast is that through it, we get to talk with designers, engineers and innovators at the very peak of their game and often informed by years or even decades of experience. At the same time, we have spoken with people at the very start of their careers, and are privileged to explore how they are shaping themselves and their careers for the future.

In this episode of Designed for Life, I am privileged to talk with Joshua Bruce, Aeronautical Engineering undergraduate, Mission 44 Youth Advisory board member and founder of the Young Engineers Summit.

There is an often-voiced mantra that, in life, 'we should all strive to be the change that we want to see; this is a shortened version of a quotation from Mahatma Gandhi, shown in full below:

 "We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Joshua has seen a world that is unfair and uneven in the way that it distributes wealth, knowledge and education and in the way it nurtures and utilises knowledge, and instead of sitting and waiting for others to make the change, he is doing his own bit to change the opportunities presented to young people worldwide.

These podcasts are an absolute privilege and a joy; this one is full of action, hope and belief...please do find an hour to sit back and listen to Joshua's story and if you can help him, either with funding for the next stage of the Young Engineers Summit, or otherwise, please do reach out, either through the contacts below or contact me at the Association at DesignedforLife@designtechnology.org.uk

Instagram: https://instagram.com/joshuabruce__?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabruce/

https://myjoyonline.com/young-engineers-summit-harnessing-transformative-power-of-stem-to-change-lives/ - Young Engineers Summit Article

Ben Edmonds is a designer, inventor, entrepreneur, engineer and self-confessed 'tinkerer'. In this episode, we follow Ben from school where aged twelve and asked what he wanted to do when he grew up; he answered, "I want to be a lead designer for Dyson".  Almost twenty years later, that's exactly what he did,  becoming a Principal Designer at Dyson.

But Ben's story is oh so much bigger than that. He has sold or donated almost every possession he owned twice as he upped sticks to start life elsewhere in the world. Left one job four times...yes, four times. And we talk as he prepares to set out on a new and exciting adventure.

So grab some time to yourself (this is a little longer than some pods but there was just too much that was good to cut the conversation any further), and enjoy Designed for Life - In conversation with Ben Edmonds.

A statement from Ben:

"I've spent a lifetime creating, making, building, testing and iterating anything and everything. Having gone through the whole school system and seen my own children in schools, I know that students don't need any more time focussed on following instructions. Working with a friend of mine with a decade of teaching experience, it's our belief that we should be helping children to SOLVE PROBLEMS, and that's what Inventor Club is all about. It could be as simple as moving unknown boxes up a step or solving the world's energy crisis. Either way, we want to encourage teachers, students and parents to think creatively and have a license to fail in order to ultimately solve problems and create new, exciting solutions.

Our mission is to create as many innovators & inventors as possible. That starts with good quality D&T lessons, where it is OK to experiment and where the prototypes and the journey are just as important as the outcomes. Lessons where every student creates their own solution and not just the same product. 

We understand that teachers are extremely time-poor, and that’s where we come in. We can provide schools with high-quality and well-thought-out challenges that allow for creativity and encourage multiple solutions to solve the same problem. 

 We’re launching a new website purely for Inventor Club where all our challenges, resources and newly created schemes of work will be made available. Please also follow us as we document all of our innovations and journey on our social pages. 

www.innovationben.com 

www.inventorclub.co.uk

www.Facebook.com/InnovationBenPage

www.Instagram.com/InnovationBen

Regards

Ben

In this episode of Designed for Life, we speak with Ifeoma Noelin Okolie. Ify is a Chartered, FSEng (SIS) Certified, Product Safety Manager, Choral Singer, Poet & Abstract Photographer. 

Ify has 13 years experience delivering innovative state-of-the-art safety engineering solutions across a variety of safety-critical industries, where she has held various leadership positions. 

She devotes her time in and outside the workplace to sharing lessons learnt from her ‘Triple Minority Career’ as a Black, Female and Artistic Professional in Engineering and tech and de-bunking gender-career biases. Ify lends her voice to EDI and STEM campaigns by raising awareness of the importance of role models, adequate representation at all levels of leadership and the role of a diverse workforce in achieving the trifectas of high performance, market dominance and business longevity. 

She is a Keynote Speaker, Foundation Governor, REACH Employee Network Chair and UN Women UK Delegate (CSW).

I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and I think you will too, so take an hour for yourself, pour a tea/coffee, find a quiet space and a cosy chair and enjoy Designed for Life, in conversation with Ify Okolie. 

PS. Look out for a very special input from Ify towards the end of the pod. I'll say no more...

In this latest episode of Designed for Life, you get to meet the Young V&A’s first designer in ‘The Shed’, Clara Chu. 

The Young V&A opened its doors on Saturday, 1 July 2023. Young V&A is a powerhouse of creativity for the young, from infants to early teens. It is a national museum dedicated to children and young people, a place to imagine, play, create, debate and design for tomorrow.

Clara is the first designer placed within the Young V&A for a six-month term. Clara is a London-based multidisciplinary artist and designer. She creates work that re-
imagines everyday, mundane objects in our domestic world, mixing mass production with the handcrafted. 

Visionary and colourful pop accessories challenge what we wear on our bodies, not only textiles but everyday household objects we take for granted, such as a mop, a kettle and a toothbrush. Clara’s exploration of up-cycling questions the prominence of fast-moving consumer goods, blurring boundaries between ‘high’ and ‘low’ forms of culture through humorous transformations. Her practice helps change the perception around waste in the form of fashion accessories, workshops and installations.

In this podcast, we explore how Clara has reached this point in her career,  what this six-month placement means to her, and what she hopes to offer to the young people who will get the opportunity to observe a designer in action and work with her through a series of planned workshops. 

Please check online for dates she will be open to the public for workshops, demonstrations or show and tell. 

https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/PD4qJqOWoO/yva-meet-the-designer-in-the-shed

Visit the Young V&A Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PA.