Empowering tomorrow's innovators: Inspiring young minds at Christ's Hospital School

Dr. Mark Hudman, Chief Technology Officer, Development and Engineering Director, In2tec Ltd., was honoured with an invitation to Christ's Hospital School, to speak with a handpicked group of thought leaders, innovators, and leading professionals from diverse fields. Their mission? To provide Year 11 students, fresh from conquering their GCSEs, with insights into prospective careers.

Christ's Hospital School was established in 1552, it is remarkable, a beacon of awe-inspiring commitment. As the UK’s leading charitable school and the largest bursary charity*, it provides free or significantly subsidised places to over 660 of its 900 pupils each year. These exceptional students come from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, fostering a tapestry of talents. Notably, the school was bestowed with the prestigious 'Independent School of the Year Award' in 2022, a testament to its unwavering dedication.

Rooted in history, the school takes its name from the Latin noun ‘hospitium’ which signifies hospitality being founded in the parish of Christchurch, London during the Middle Ages where hospitals served quite different functions from modern institutions. Medieval hospitals were alms houses for the poor, hostels for pilgrims, or schools. The uniform is one of the school’s most public and enduring features. It is remarkable that in this age of rapidly changing fashion trends, the outer long blue coat and distinctive yellow socks have remained virtually unchanged for over 470 years.

In the heart of Christ's Hospital School, the event unfolded. It was well organised, being structured by subject disciplines, and in two further sessions taking 40-minutes each due to the popularity of the talks hosting thirty enthusiastic students who were really engaged in electronics and engineering; with all these young people already signed-up to study Maths and Physics at A-level. Mark Hudman was keen to provide insight into the world of engineering possibilities, helping ignite curiosity in the minds of tomorrow's trailblazers. Mark Hudman said, “It was a pleasure to see that at least half of the students targeting Engineering as a career were remarkable young women in what has traditionally been a male-dominated career and domain.”

Following a brief introduction to his background and career through software, control and robotics, Mark Hudman presented examples of the types of projects we work on at In2tec from ground-breaking automotive applications to life-altering advancements in medicine and industrial projects”. Mark added, “The students loved the hands-on experience and were captivated by this tangible insight into Engineering innovation. Engrossed in the possibilities, we delved into a spirited discussion on engineering's crucial responsibility—to deliver not only functional and cost-effective solutions but also environmentally responsible designs. Whether in the realm of electronics, mechanics, sciences, or civil engineering, these young minds recognised the engineers and indeed their own potential in shaping a more sustainable future.”

The students were highly engaged and enjoyed watching In2tec’s Sustainable Electronics Video as they were not generally aware of the enormous impact that Design and Engineering can have on the world around us. This in turn led to a most excellent Q&A session on reuse versus recycling, electronics lifecycles and what engineers can do to influence our designs for a more sustainable future.

Mark said, “Time flew by, and the careers evening seemed to come to an end far too soon. It is fair to say that I came away with a keen sense that with students of this remarkable calibre and such enthusiasm entering Engineering, the future is in good hands.”

We feel incredibly lucky to have a team of motivated and passionate individuals working with us at In2tec Ltd., proud to share their experience with the potential engineers of tomorrow.