EESW Project

The EESW Project encourages young people to consider a career in STEM by giving students a positive experience working with professional engineers in an industrial setting.

 

EESW Project 2026-27

A link company will set a project brief related to a real problem within the company for a team of up to eight Year 12 students.  
During the project students will research and design a solution and produce a final proposal, model or working prototype.  
Schools and companies interested in getting involved in the 2026-27 season can register interest before Friday 25th September 2026.

Go to our EESW Project Resources section for this year's EESW Handbook

 

How it works

Around 600 students take part in the EESW Project each year.  

Students will attend a welcome event in September/October, a two or three-day workshop in December at a local University, college or training centre and submit a written report in February/March.  

The team will then attend an Awards and Presentation Day in North or South Wales in March/April, where they will display their work at an exhibition stand and give a presentation to a panel of assessors.  Awards will be presented for various categories up to the value of £500 per team.  

Why take part?

The EESW Project offers multiple benefits to students, schools/colleges and companies.  Students will gain a number of skills and receive a completion of training certificate for the areas completed. 

Students will:

  • have enhanced knowledge and understanding of STEM, by gaining an insight into engineering and experience of solving a real problem.
  • apply and develop Essential and Key Skills including communication, decision making, team work, team leadership, problem solving, presentation techniques and report writing.
  • gain subject knowledge in a real industrial context for UCAS applications and CVs.
  • be able to apply for a Gold CREST Award.
If you would like to sponsor an award for our 2027 North or South Wales events, please contact us

Award sponsors feature in our annual project brochure, and are invited to attend our events to present their award on stage to their chosen winning project team.  

Previous events

Thanks also to all the schools and companies that participated in 2025-26

The experience was fantastic for both the students and the company. The technical team at Spectrum gained just as much from the project as the students did, making it a truly valuable and rewarding collaboration.

David Treharne, Director of Engineering
Spectrum Technologies Ltd

The school has used the success of our team to raise the profile of our sixth form amongst potential students, their parents and local community.

Teacher, Penglais School

The EESW 6th form challenge provides an opportunity for students who have an interest in STEM and engineering to get a taste of the industry before their UCAS applications. It has given them a greater understanding of the academic requirements of HE as well as industry while also giving them a chance to work to the industry standards. In addition to this, it gives me, the teacher, a chance to influence and offer opportunities to the more able students as well as use as a tool to promote the school.

Teacher, Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr

The benefits to the students are unmeasurable. The students gain confidence in many of the "soft skill" areas as well as understand how science plays a vital part in the world. Students are able to see a breadth of jobs within an industry and not just the engineer they are working with. The students become self motivated and improve their ability to make and stick to deadlines. Personally, I have been able to network with industry and fellow teachers. This allows me to improve and refresh my subject knowledge and better support and engage the students in my classroom.

Teacher, St Teilo's CIW High School