A BASINGSTOKE firm has shown its support in helping young people carve out a career for themselves.

Tech Data, whose UK headquarters is in Crockford Lane, Chineham, took part in the recent annual TeenTech event to provide young people with a better understanding of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

TeenTech runs lively initiatives with a supporting award scheme to help young teenagers see the wide range of career possibilities they can gain access to via STEM subjects and help the ‘X Factor generation’ understand their true potential and the real opportunities available in the contemporary workplace. It works with companies, universities, organisations and the education sector and focuses much of its efforts on regions of greater social need.

At the TeenTech Hampshire event, which took place in Basingstoke, the company sponsored an ideas wall, which featured diverse visions of ideas what kind of technology may exist in 2050.

Some of the notions that were put forward included a robot that clears pollution from the sea, a way to split atoms and make new items with them, and cures for cancer.

Cathi Low, director of SMB and public sector at Tech Data, said: “STEM subjects are vital to the future of our economy and it was really inspiring to see the amazing talent, enthusiasm and free thinking that these teenagers produced.

“We felt genuinely honoured and proud to be a such a positive and progressive event that is of such enormous benefit to the students, their schools and the local community.”

Tech Data ran a competition for the school that came up with the best idea for 2050.

The winner was the concept of a machine that could loosen the forces of attraction and separate atoms, then bond them with other atoms to create different substances and thus re-use plastic and decrease waste.

The winning students from the Godolphin School will be invited to attend a special STEM-led activity day at Tech Data’s Basingstoke location later this year.

Celine Naude, head of marketing services at Tech Data added: “It was fantastic to see the innovation and ideas flowing when these young people were brought together.

“They came up with some fantastic ideas about the types of technologies that we might be seeing in use by the middle of this century. It was truly inspirational and gives you a real confidence in the future.”