Powering Futures: STEMPOINT brings renewable‑energy workshops to GYCA

Year 7 and Year 8 students at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy spent the day exploring eco and green energies before the half term break—and the real jobs they create on our doorstep—thanks to hands‑on workshops delivered by STEMPOINT East.

Across two sessions pupils worked in mixed teams to design, build and test model wind‑turbine prototypes, problem‑solve engineering challenges, and connect classroom learning to the region’s fast‑growing clean‑energy sector. The workshops were delivered by Jo O’Reilly and Peter Sutton from STEMPOINT with support from STEM Ambassadors, including a representative from the University of East Anglia with thanks to funding by ScottishPower Renewables.

Jo O’Reilly, STEM Engagement Co‑ordinator at STEMPOINT East, said:

“It’s brilliant to see Year 7 and 8 getting hands‑on with renewable energy—testing their ideas, learning from real engineers, and seeing how these skills translate into careers here in East Anglia. Thanks to support from ScottishPower Renewables, we can bring STEM Ambassadors into schools like GYCA and spark a lasting interest in clean‑energy jobs across our coast.” 

Why this matters for Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth is fast becoming a national hub for offshore wind and green jobs. Public investment is accelerating port capacity with the National Wealth Fund announcing a £15m loan to help deliver a major centre on the river port, part of a £28m project expected to support around 650 jobs. 

Equinor already operates the Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon wind farms from its Great Yarmouth hub, with consent granted in 2024 to extend both projects, potentially doubling capacity and generating hundreds of millions for East Anglia and the UK economy.

Muriel Brun Aslangul, our Eco Schools champion, said:

“Partnerships like this give our pupils a clear line of sight to the labour market on their doorstep, offshore wind, engineering, port logistics and environmental science. Today’s workshop has built their teamwork and problem‑solving, and more importantly their confidence that these are their opportunities to seize.”