Spot the visitor

When Spot the Dog visits Wirral Grammar Boys School

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) Liverpool visited Wirral Grammar Boys to take part in its annual careers fair.

The MTC specialises in digital manufacturing, additive manufacturing, automation and robotics, as well as intelligent automation. As part of MTC, Liverpool's Digital Manufacturing Accelerator have recently taken delivery of two agile robotic dogs, named Spot.

Keen to showcase what

Spot could do, MTC engineers based this visit on delivering a presentation, a demonstration of Spot’s functionality, and facilitating a Q&A on his potential applications.

This enabled the team to present many ideas on the theme of robotics to the students as well as giving them an opportunity to interact with Spot the Dog.

Simone Wilson, careers manager, Wirral Grammar

Boys School said: “We are so grateful to Charlotte from LCR Careers Hub for sharing the MTC contact with us. It just so happens that two of the MTC staff are former students from our school; this made their visit even more special.

“The memory of both staff and students following Spot around school will last with us forever. Thank you for this opportunity.”

The visit from The MTC highlighted just how many opportunities manufacturing has to offer with a wide and varied range of careers and roles students can go into.

Andrew White, senior deputy head, Wirral Grammar Boys School said: “The sense of excitement when we knew the visit was taking place was palpable; students were so eager to see Spot in action. What was key was for them to see the range of careers and skills applied to one project.

“They hadn’t really considered the range of opportunities that are available from concept to production and application. The MTC team provided the longer-term inspiration as they ‘opened the eyes’ of the students into the potential career avenues they could pursue.

“This was a hugely popular session for boys from across the age range; but they all had one thing in common. An absolute fascination with the technology, its features, creation, operation and application. What a learning experience! It’s one they have been talking about since and they will remember for a long time to come.”