Five Carmel College students enjoyed an exciting and valuable work experience placement with Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool) over the summer, gaining an insight into a range of industries including artificial intelligence, healthcare technology, engineering and advanced manufacturing.
The students, April Parker, Liana El-Habur, Phoebe Kay, Kathryn Ricarte and Reece Raju, were selected to take part in the KQ Interns programme, giving them the opportunity to work alongside professionals and develop skills that will support them in their future careers.
The students brought a wide range of A Level subjects to the programme. April studies Computer Science, Maths and Further Maths; Liana studies Computer Science, Physics, Maths and Further Maths; Phoebe studies Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths; Kathryn studies Biology, Chemistry and Psychology; and Reece studies Computer Science, Maths and Physics.
As part of the placement, the students worked with organisations including the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and MyCardium AI, while also taking part in workshops, talks and career development sessions organised by Knowledge Quarter Liverpool.
Exploring engineering and manufacturing
April and Reece were based with the Manufacturing Technology Centre, where they worked on a mock project focused on improving the throughput of a manufacturing line for a hypothetical card-producing business.
Their work involved researching different technologies and deciding which would be most suitable for the manufacturing process. They developed skills in areas including SWOT analysis, technology down-selection, presentations and rough-order-of-magnitude (ROM) costing.
Reece said:
“During my three-week work experience placement at the Knowledge Quarter in Liverpool I partnered with the manufacturing technology centre (MTC) to help design a new manufacturing line for a hypothetical business that produces cards.
“I learned about different types of robot projects, including Boston Dynamics’ Spot and industrial robotic arms. Part of my role was helping to create a down-selection table alongside graphs to compare different technologies and decide which ones would be best suited for the manufacturing line.”
The students also had the opportunity to see engineering in practice, including a demonstration of a Spot robotic dog and a small bottling line.
April added that the placement provided an opportunity to develop practical skills and gain a greater understanding of how engineering is applied in the real world.
The experience culminated in a presentation at the Hope Street Hotel, where the students presented their work to organisations involved in the programme and had the opportunity to network with professionals, including representatives from PlayStation.
Reece said the experience also helped him to become more confident when presenting and gave him a better understanding of working in industry.
“I also spoke to engineers from different disciplines of engineering, which helped me get a better idea of what I want to do in the future. The placement improved my confidence when presenting in front of people and gave me a better understanding of what engineering is actually like in industry, as projects often involve a lot of trial and error before reaching a final solution.”
Discovering AI and healthcare
Liana and Phoebe worked alongside MyCardium AI, gaining an insight into the growing role of artificial intelligence and technology in healthcare.
Liana explored the journey of medical imaging data, from MRI scans through to clinical trials, and learnt about the role of a Core Lab in supporting research teams.
She described the internship as one of the highlights of her summer.
“My time on the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool internship was for sure one of the highlights of my summer. I was placed with MyCardium AI, where I learnt about the full journey of imaging data, from MRI scans to clinical trials, and gained insight into how their Core Lab supports research teams.
“Alongside the placement, we took part in sessions focused on mindset, CV building and career development. It was also a really fun experience, the coordinators were amazing and I met brilliant people who made my time there even better!”
Phoebe also gained valuable experience working with MyCardium AI, developing her communication, teamwork, research and problem-solving skills.
“Throughout the placement, I worked on a range of tasks that helped me develop my communication, teamwork, research and problem-solving skills, while also encouraging me to think creatively and approach challenges independently.
“The experience gave me a better understanding of what it is like to work in a professional environment.”
Developing skills for the future
Alongside their placements, the students attended talks and workshops delivered by professionals from a range of industries. These sessions covered areas such as career development, CV building and professional mindset.
The students also had the opportunity to visit the Sciontec building and take part in a tour of the Angel Solutions offices, as well as hearing from people working across different sectors.
Knowledge Quarter Liverpool Skills Project Coordinator Codi Ellis praised the Carmel students for their approach throughout the programme.
“We were delighted to welcome five students from Carmel College to take part in our KQ Interns programme this year. Each student submitted a fantastic application and produced an excellent final project, approaching the entire experience with professionalism, determination, passion and kindness.
“Throughout the programme, they were inquisitive, enthusiastic and fully engaged, making the most of every opportunity to learn and contribute. They represented Carmel College exceptionally well, and we were incredibly proud to have them as part of the KQ Interns programme.”
The experience has provided Carmel students with an invaluable opportunity to develop both their academic and professional skills, while giving them a first-hand insight into potential careers in science, technology, engineering, healthcare and beyond.
A huge thank you to Knowledge Quarter Liverpool and all of the organisations involved for hosting our students and providing such an exciting and rewarding work experience. The skills, knowledge and confidence they have gained will be a fantastic asset as they take their next steps towards their future careers.