Our Discover Maths programme aims to give students a better understanding of how the maths they learn in the classroom links to the real world. The activities they participate in will grow their confidence in applying maths in their day-to-day, as well as showing them how the maths they are learning now is relevant to their future careers.

Mason took part in our first Discover Maths cohort in 2017. At the time he was a year 8 student and didn’t know how much maths he would need in his future. We have caught up with Mason to find out what he enjoyed about the programme and his achievements since.

 

What do you recall about the Discover Maths programme?

I remember enjoying it as we were doing maths very differently in places outside of the classroom. I remember the Suspension Bridge because of going in the vaults and a visit to Cheltenham Science Festival also stood out as a highlight. I also enjoyed the college visit and Aerospace. Overall Discover Maths helped me focus on my maths and engaged me in thinking about my future career. I passed my GCSE and did well across all my subjects.

 

What did you do Post 16?

I went to Robins Foundation and completed a level 3 Extended Diploma in Football Coaching. I enjoyed the football but decided after this I needed an apprenticeship to get into a job where I would be paid to learn.

 

Tell us about what you are doing now.

I’m now on the first year of an apprenticeship programme with The Port Company and I am really enjoying it. I love learning new skills and being hands on. The Port is a totally different environment to anything I’d experienced before, we are treated like family here. Maths is a key part to this job and I use maths daily now. I would recommend taking up the opportunity of a programme like Discover Maths if you get the chance.

 

We spoke to Nick Venn, the Training Manager at The Bristol Port Company, to discover more about how maths is used daily on the apprenticeship programme.

Maths is applied when working out tonnages of loads and the equipment needed to lift the load. It is also required when loading commodities to road transport amounts, tonnages, and customer summary.

We also use maths when using loading shovels, each bucket is weighed and an accumulated weight is added up until the total tonnage required for the load is achieved.

Mason has had a good start to his apprenticeship, and he is applying himself to newly achieved skills.

 

To learn more about our Discover Maths Programme check out more here on the Programme pages.