The SACP Brings Aerospace Careers to Life at Dame Allan’s Newcastle
The Schools’ Aerospace Careers Programme visited Dame Allan’s in Newcastle on Wednesday 4 November 2026, welcoming approximately 60 students for a day exploring aerospace, aviation and emerging technologies. Students from Years 10 to 13 took part, including visiting sixth form students from Sacred Heart High School.
The day combined morning presentations with practical afternoon activities, introducing students to a range of careers and giving them opportunities to try some of the technologies involved.
Chris Marshall opened the morning with an introduction to the technologies shaping aerospace and the opportunities they offer young people. Mike Stokes followed with a look at pathways to becoming a pilot and the training routes available to those considering a flying career.
After the break, Chris explored drone operations and their applications across industry, before Ogi Damjanovic introduced virtual reality design and its use in creative and engineering work. The morning concluded with a question-and-answer session with Spot, the Boston Dynamics quadruped robot, bringing robotics and conversational AI into the room.
After lunch, students moved into the breakout sessions. All three flight simulators were in use, giving students the chance to take the controls, alongside the VR Flight Experience. Chris led the FPV Drone Simulators, while Ogi guided students through designing and creating in virtual reality. The activities connected the morning’s talks with practical experiences of flight, control and three-dimensional design.
Julie Rodrigues, Sixth Form and Careers Administrator at Dame Allan’s, reflected on the day:
“We are so pleased we signed up for the SACP workshop. It looked great in the brochure and was even better on the day. The presenters were very knowledgeable in their particular fields and had a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. All of the students will leave with fresh ideas for their futures and it’s great to see how inspired they are.”
One student described how the visit had broadened their understanding of the sector:
“The SACP has been a wonderful program which helped me realise how many jobs are linked to space, and how important they are, despite my previous views, and helped me try them out”
The feedback reflects a central aim of the programme: helping young people discover careers they may not previously have considered, with opportunities to explore the skills and technologies behind them.
The SACP would like to thank Katherine Medway and Julie Rodrigues for their work in organising and supporting the day, and Dame Allan’s for hosting the programme. We were also pleased to welcome the visiting students from Sacred Heart High School.
