Something electric is happening in classrooms across the Cardiff Capital Region this summer — and it’s not just science fiction, it’s semiconductors!
Techniquest is just over halfway through delivering its exciting brand-new workshop ‘Exploring Compound Semiconductors: From Big Tech to Tiny Devices’ funded by CSconnected and the Cardiff Capital Region. Designed for primary school children aged 9 to 11, the impact has already been felt in the schools visited by our Education team. This hands-on, curiosity-driven initiative is helping young minds discover the magic of the microscopic world that powers our modern lives — from smartphones to robots.
Launched with the goal of creating early awareness around careers in the fast-growing semiconductor industry, the workshop is packed with hands-on, practical activities, fun challenges involving Hexbugs, and an immersive robot demonstration highlighting how useful — and cool — compound semiconductors really are.
Nic Phillips, a teacher at St James Primary in Caerphilly, said: “The pupils absolutely loved the workshop — they were engaged throughout and particularly enjoyed handling the Hexbugs. The robot was also a huge hit!
“Informal workshops like this helps them to share ideas and sparks their curiosity. They’re learning without even realising it, and it also allows pupils of all abilities to shine.”
From exploring digital microscopes and testing conductivity with everyday objects, to building electric circuit boards using LEGO, the workshop has been engineered to be fun, engaging, and accessible.
The compound semiconductor industry is a key driver of innovation in South Wales, with the Cardiff Capital Region playing a leading role in the UK’s high-tech future. But with a growing need for new talent, it’s crucial that young people — especially from an early age — can see themselves as part of that future.
This workshop is not just about sparking an interest in STEM. It’s about planting the seeds of ambition, showing children that exciting careers in clean energy, space tech, robotics, and smart devices are within their reach.
Elinor Rickus from Ysgol Gymraeg Ifor Hael said: “The children enjoyed it so much. Every single one of them interacted with the hands-on activities and were excited to learn about all the hi-tech equipment.
“Our budget is limited in schools, which means without funded workshops like this one, the children likely wouldn’t get to experience days like today.
“Workshops like this offer primary school children the opportunity to get a taste of different skills that are essential in the modern working world and, for pre-school children, the eagerness to learn new things.”
The future is bright, and it’s being lit by the next generation of young, aspiring STEM enthusiasts. Who knows, the next big tech innovator may be sitting in a classroom in South Wales right now, inspired by their very first encounter with a compound semiconductor.