Grade 7 learners from Wagenhuiskrantz Primary in Arniston and De&Acirc&nbspHeide Primary in Bredasdorp visited Denel Overberg Test Range on 25 June 2015 in celebration of Youth Month.

Learners from Wagenhuiskrantz Primary in Arniston and De Heide Primary in Bredasdorp were recently exposed to the high technological environment of Denel Overberg Test Range to mark the celebration of National Youth Month. For most of the 132 learners this was their first visit to the Test Range and for many a first exposure to a high technology environment.

The visit to the Test Range took place at the same time the Denel Group launched a book, “Defence Technology Made Easy”, to celebrate the National Youth Month this year. The book is aimed at demystifying the technology that drives the Defence industry for school learners and is creating greater awareness about innovation and post-school opportunities that derive from Maths, Science and Technology education.

The aim of the visit was to give the learners general exposure to the Test Range and the Denel Group with the hope of creating an interest in careers within the engineering, science and technology sectors. “We hope to ignite a spark of interest and in this manner motivate them to make the right subject choices that will allow them to pursue careers within these sectors,” Denel Overberg Test Range Chief Executive Officer, Abrie van der Walt, said.

Ms Gillian Haywood, member of the Youth Forum at the Test Range, welcomed the learners and encouraged them to make use of all opportunities and emphasized that through hard work, anything is possible. After the welcoming address Ms Bridget Salo, Deputy CEO of Denel Overberg Test Range, gave a presentation on the Denel Group and the Test Range. She also showed the learners a few very exciting video clips of tests which were conducted on the Test Range. Experiments on the basic principles of weather were conducted by the meteorologist of the Test Range and a control technician provided an overview of activities in the control room during test execution. Both presentations generated tremendous interest and excitement amongst the learners.

“The weather man of the Test Range demonstrated how a cloud is formed; he also performed other experiments which were great. The visit to the control room was something I will never forget,” was how Matthew Patel (12), a Grade 7 leaner from De Heide Primary described the experience.

The overall response from the learners was that this was a wonderful experience and that it opened up a new world to them.

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