Business

E1 leads design workshop at AFBE outreach programme in Edinburgh

In a recent collaboration with AFBE’s (Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers) Ignite Programme, E1 Series Head of Design, Asher Erskine, visited two schools in Edinburgh – Forrester and St. Augustine’s – to inspire young students to pursue careers in STEM through creative design workshops. The sessions were part of AFBE’s broader mission to provide students with direct insights into industry and foster interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Setting the stage for creativity, the students were given a design brief where they were tasked with creating a concept for a 10th team in the E1 Series. The brief challenged students to develop a team name, logo, colours, and overall identity. To help them realise their ideas, Erskine delivered a crash course in industrial design sketching fundamentals, covering effective illustration principles and rendering techniques to bring their concepts to life.

The outreach programme, which took place over a full day, brought together students aged 14 to 15 for an exciting introduction to the world of design and electric boat racing. Erskine kicked off the session with an overview of E1 Series, focusing on the design and branding of the innovative RaceBirds and the unique identities of the teams in the series.

It was all about levelling up their skills and getting them comfortable with putting their ideas down on paper. I encouraged everyone to sign their work and not to throw anything away. Making a mistake is often a paralysing fear, so I made it clear from the start ‘There are no mistakes’.

Asher ErskineHead of Design at E1

To ease any nerves about sketching, students took part in a high-energy warm-up exercise. Through a series of quickfire sketching rounds – including drawing with their eyes covered, using both hands simultaneously, and even trying their non-dominant hand – the students were encouraged to break through the common fear of starting a blank page. Even the graphic design teachers joined in on the action, much to the students’ delight.

Warm-up routines are key to doing your best work. It’s no different from how top singers or athletes get ready for their performances. Reps, reps, reps. That’s the key to getting good at anything.

Asher ErskineHead of Design at E1

Anna Kebke, E1 Series’ Sustainability Lead, attended the session and introduced the students to E1’s Blue Impact Programme, speaking about the sport’s focus on sustainability. Local to Edinburgh, Kebke naturally connected with the students and peaked their interests in the future of sport, the planet and their own futures.

I love to see their competitive spark switch on. They’re competing against each other, but also asking questions about how to get into these kinds of roles and what qualifications are needed. It’s lovely to see them thinking ahead.

Anna KebkeSustainability Lead at E1

After the warm-up, the students split into groups to work on their team designs, collaborating and receiving guidance throughout the session. In true professional fashion, the day concluded with a group review, where students shared their work and received constructive feedback.

Students designed their own team, inspired by the all-star lineup of the series.

Oban Duncan, the youngest pilot in the E1 Series and a racer for Team Drogba, was also present to share her experiences. Having grown up in Scotland, Duncan spoke about dreaming big and the importance of having goals that are meaningful and exciting.

For young people today, they need to know that whatever they love, there might be a career in it. It’s important not to shut those interests down.

Oban DuncanPilot for Team Drogba

The enthusiasm of the students was evident, with many asking how they could get more involved with E1 and requesting follow-up sessions. The outreach programme proved to be a resounding success, leaving the students motivated and eager to explore the possibilities of STEM careers. AFBE’s Ignite Programme continues to serve as a platform for students to connect with industry professionals, and with support from organisations like E1, the future of innovation looks bright. To learn more about the work AFBE are doing, visit their website here.

Smiles all-round as students proudly shared their work.