Hosted by the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EEECS) at Queen's University Belfast, the 2025 XP Work Experience Programme was packed with hands-on activities, industry insights, robots, teamwork and a whole lot of pizza 🍕.

🔧 What Did They Get Up To?

Over five action-filled days, students explored the exciting world of computing and engineering through a wide range of workshops and challenges:

- 🚀 Rocketry: Launching ideas sky-high with hands-on engineering

- 💻 Name Badge Programming: Writing code and making introductions like pros

- ⚡ Sustainable Energy: Exploring green tech and future-focused solutions

- 🤖 Robotics: Building and programming machines that move and think

- 🎮 Esports: Competing and collaborating in a high-energy gaming session

- 🐶 Robot Dog Challenge: A team-based activity featuring a very clever four-legged machine

- 🧠 Interactive Programming with AMD Belfast: A creative coding session in partnership with AMD

- 💼 Careers Talk with Rapid7: Real-world advice from industry professionals on what it’s like to work in tech

And yes, there was plenty of pizza and snacks to fuel the innovation 🍕💡

🏫 Participating Schools

We would like to thank the following 24 schools for supporting their students to attend:

• Abbey Christian Brothers Grammar School
• Antrim Grammar School
• Belfast Royal Academy
• Campbell College
• Carrickfergus Grammar School
• Dalriada School
• Friends’ School, Lisburn
• Limavady Grammar School
• Lumen Christi College
• Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock
• Rathmore Grammar School
• RBAI
• Regent House Grammar School
• Royal School Dungannon
• Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry
• Slemish College
• St Dominic's Grammar School
• St Malachy’s College, Belfast
• St Mary’s CBGS
• St Michael’s College, Enniskillen
• St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon
• St. Mary's Grammar School, Magherafelt
• Strathearn School
• Sullivan Upper School
• Wellington College, Belfast

We would love to welcome even more students from even more schools across Northern Ireland next year, so please reach out for more information.

🌍 The Grand Finale: UN SDG Hackathon

The week wrapped up with the UN Sustainable Development Goals Hackathon on Friday. Students worked in teams to design tech solutions for global challenges, then presented their ideas to a panel of judges in just 3 minutes onstage. The creativity and commitment on display were truly inspiring!

🏆 Hackathon Award Winners

Most Innovative Solution – Team 3 (F.R.E.D.)

Angus Bell, Jason Chen, Tara O'Neill, Cormac Goodwin, Luke Smyth

 

Biggest Real World Impact – Team 7 (Commotion in the Ocean)

Jude Christopher Craig, Wiktoria Januszewska, Noah Smyth, Ethan Canning

 

Best Use of Sustainable Technologies – Team 4 (LifePump)

Daniele Kevisaite, Tiarnan McManus, Michael Keegan, Jay Hanvey

 

Best Presentation – Team 9 (Teacher Jotter)

Charlie McLarnon, Orlagh McGivern, Ferdia Gabriel Trotter, Katrina Villasfer

 

🎉 A Week to Remember

The 2025 XP Work Experience Programme was more than just an introduction to STEM. It was a celebration of curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Students left with new skills, new friends, and a clearer vision of the exciting futures that await them in tech and engineering.

A huge thank you to the EEECS team, the industry partners, and the XP Work Experience 2025 cohort. You made this week fun and inspiring!