As part of Engineers Week, Combilift opened its doors to local schools in an initiative to promote STEM education and announced that the Regional VEX Robotics Championships will be held at the Combilift headquarters. The winners will qualify for the world championships.

Combilift, a global leader in innovative material-handling solutions, is committed to STEM education and developing the future workforce.  By hosting this event, the company hopes to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world applications, encouraging students to pursue careers in engineering and technology.

At the event, St. Macartan’s VEX Robotics Team, winners of the 2025 North West Regional Finals, demonstrated their award-winning robot to over 250 students from local schools and discussed the process and skills required to design, build, and program a robot.  To get a full picture of the competitions, a friendly match was held to highlight the excitement and technical aspects of the high-calibre VEX competitions.

 Brendan Mc Avera, a St. Macartan’s College teacher, says, “I am the computer science teacher and in 15 years of teaching, this is probably the best thing I’ve ever been involved in. It shows the inspiration you can get back from your students when you give them a project to do, and they put their heart and soul into it, and they get their rewards since they’ve won three awards this year”

Through interactive demonstrations and hands-on experiences, young students learned about STEM’s real-world applications and the critical role robotics plays in modern industries.

Martin McVicar continues, “By engaging with these cutting-edge technologies, students can develop skills specific to robotics, hydraulics, and programming, as well as other vital skills such as teamwork, strategy, and problem-solving. These abilities are essential for students’ curricula and are transferable to their future careers in STEM, including potential apprenticeships at Combilift or paths in engineering.” 

Martin McVicar also emphasises, “Listening to the skills these students have developed makes you proud. It feels like you have a Formula One team in front of you. When you look at the different roles each person plays and the skills they have developed, these abilities will serve them well throughout their lives.”

Combilift continues to play an important role in inspiring young minds to think creatively and develop the skills they will need in the future through initiatives like this.  Combilift’s investment in the next generation of engineers contributes to a brighter future for everyone.