Havendagen Werkendam News
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WERKENDAM • One of the nicest parts of the Techniekplein on Werkendam’s harbor day is the boat building competition. Primary school children can use the lesson plan from Gorinchem’s Gilde Vakcollege Techniek to design and build a boat themselves at school. During port days, boats are launched to see who can sail the fastest four meters in a large water tank.
But in addition to speed, it is also about creativity and technique in designs. Entries will be judged by a jury composed of alderman Wendy van Oijen, headteacher te Gilde Cregen Redert and Gerrit Brossen from De Schepsbuyers in Werkendam.
Karin Struijk from Werkendam Maritime Industries (WMI) is the driving force behind all activities at Techniekplein, in 2016 she organized everything in and around Techniekplein for the first time.
connections with education
Her contacts with education in the region are particularly helpful in this regard. “We especially want to introduce children to technology in a fun way, but also to everything around the port. All primary schools in Altena have been contacted and four have already been registered.
They receive a lesson plan, but also a toolbox from the Gilde Vakcollege Techniek for boat building.” All children from participating schools can launch their boat on Friday morning, followed by the final.
technology cycle
During port days there is plenty to see and do on Friday and Saturday at Techniekplein, which can be found at Transito in Beatrixhaven. “Together with Gilde Vakcollege Techniek, we have prepared a complete technical course, where children can weld, carpenter, bricklayer or learn about electricity.” On the previous port day, the square was very popular with Werkendam’s youth.
This time, i-lab from Gorinchem is also a guest from Education, they are giving a workshop on robotics, where children can practice programming robots. Da Vinci College offers virtual soldering classes and HKMobile comes with a virtual board. Participants get virtual reality goggles and see the results on a screen.
On top of an inland vessel
Scheepvaart en Transportcollege (STC) from Rotterdam offers an inland freight simulator, where visitors can experience what it’s like to be at the helm of an inland cargo ship. From the same STC, AB Initio mors in Biesboschhaven, the ultra-modern training vessel was completed last year at Concordia Damen and CCM3 in Werkendam.
Ab Initio, the ship’s name meaning “from the beginning,” has a so-called field laboratory on board where students conduct research on, for example, independent sailing.
But of course youngsters can also learn about inland shipping on the training ship, which also offers programs for elementary school children.
Space Pose
New on Techniekplein is SpaceBuzz; Real missile trailer. An idea from astronaut Andre Kuipers to introduce children to space travel. With virtual reality with virtual reality glasses, children go on a space journey.
André Kuipers’ goal is for children to also become ambassadors for the Earth, so that they can take care of the Earth. André Kuipers himself was very impressed to see the Earth from space and to see that the Earth is only a very small sphere in a large area.
SpaceBuzz’s arrival is made possible by a sponsorship from the Holland Shipyards Group. On Friday, elementary school children from Group 7 can visit SpaceBuzz, and on Saturday everyone can join. But full, full, says Karen Strick.
Introducing children to technology
According to Karin, setting up the program for the tech arena, as well as all the other activities, is totally baffling. “But Havendagen is a great opportunity to introduce children to technology, which we also do throughout the year with our work safaris.”
Karin Struijk is convinced that exposure to technology at a young age can entice young people to look for a job in the port of Werkendam.
There are always vacancies in companies, which can be found during port days on the private job market on Friday afternoons from 13:00 to 17:00 and Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00.
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