Inspiring Futures: Connecting students with the engineers shaping tomorrow
From surgical robotics to digital technology, students gained insight into the wide-ranging opportunities within engineering as two Perse parents shared their experiences of working at the forefront of innovation.
Students in Year 11 and the Sixth Form heard from two Perse parents working in engineering and technology during the latest Inspiring Futures session.
Patrick Thornycroft, Chief Engineer at CMR Surgical, and Johnnie Ballentyne, Senior Software Engineering Manager at Meta, shared their experiences of working in fast-moving industries and explored how engineering can be used to solve real-world problems.
Patrick explained how his team developed Versius, a surgical robot designed to support keyhole surgery. He explored how multidisciplinary teams bring new technology from concept to operating theatre, demonstrating how different areas of expertise contribute to a shared goal.
By tracing the development of technology designed to support surgeons, Patrick showed how engineering knowledge, creativity and teamwork come together to address real-world challenges, offering students an insight into engineering in a medical setting.
Johnnie’s presentation, Building the Future, traced the journey of a smartphone message through electronic components, communications infrastructure, subsea cables and data centres. Using an everyday example, he highlighted the range of engineering disciplines involved in digital technology and the interconnected systems that make modern communication possible.
He also explored engineering as a creative and collaborative profession, considering how artificial intelligence is changing the industry. Students were encouraged to think critically about how AI can support learning while continuing to develop their own judgement, understanding and problem-solving skills.
For students considering future subjects, university courses and careers, hearing directly from professionals working in industry can help bring potential pathways to life. The session offered two distinct perspectives on engineering while highlighting the shared importance of curiosity, collaboration and innovation.
Head of Sixth Form Guy Couper-Marsh said: “One of the things I value most about these events is the chance for students to hear about careers and opportunities they may never have considered otherwise. We are very fortunate to have such depth of expertise within our parent community at The Perse, and it is always fascinating to hear from people working at the cutting edge of their fields. Their experiences and stories can be incredibly powerful in helping young people think about their own futures.”
We are grateful to Patrick and Johnnie for giving their time and sharing their experiences with our students.