The UK-wide programme aims to get students thinking about sustainability, the environment and waste.
The Air Products programme forms part of the broader National Enterprise Challenge, which is the UK’s largest schools Enterprise programme with over 250,000 students taking part since inception.
Set up by cousins Ben and Michael Dyer, the challenge sees students from all schools and abilities compete in real-life business challenges.
It takes place across a day, with the winners going on to represent the school at a National Finals event.
The challenge will be delivered to over 50,000 students from approximately 250 schools during the academic year.
Lynn Willacy, Community and STEM Ambassador at Air Products, said: “The Air Products STEM Challenge is a great opportunity to inspire students to be our scientists and engineers of the future. I am really excited to see what innovative ideas the students come up with.”
Challenge Co-Founder Ben Dyer said: “We are delighted to be working with Air Products on this year’s Key Stage 3 Challenge which, for the first time, will have a big Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) focus. With issues surrounding the environment never far from the news, we feel the challenge will be something the students will really enjoy.”
The Air Products STEM challenge will focus on students finding alternative uses for the industrial gas cylinders and tanks once they become obsolete. The students will need to make a business case for their idea and think about all elements of the product including the design and how to market it.