Motorola Solutions Foundation backs Greenpower

The Motorola Solutions Foundation is the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc. Through the grant, Greenpower can inspire the next generation of engineers, offering a unique STEM hands-on educational experience for students aged nine years old and over – which the Motorola Solutions Foundation is now supporting by developing further the content of the Education Programme.

Young engineering talents are able to learn, via Greenpower, how to design, build and race electric kit cars in school teams, whilst also developing their teamwork and leadership skills.

Working with over 500 schools throughout the UK, running 30 regional events and an International Final, Greenpower educates more than 10,000 students in the UK each year. Greenpower also operates globally in the USA, South Africa, Poland, Portugal and Ireland.

In the UK alone, the engineering industry requires 1.86 million new people with the requisite skills between 2010 and 2020, meaning that the number of engineering-related apprentices and graduates needs to double. With this latest grant, the Motorola Solutions Foundation is assisting Greenpower in helping to make this happen.

Matt Blakely, Director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation, said: “We are very impressed by the success of Greenpower, the level of engagement with young people, and the clever, competitive engineering demonstrated by the many racing teams. We are extremely pleased to be able to support Greenpower’s continued work around the world educating and inspiring the next generation of innovators.”

Greenpower Education Trust CEO, Jeremy Way, commented: “Greenpower is proud to announce the generous financial support that the Motorola Solutions Foundation has provided to the charity for 2015. Without sponsorship from such prestigious global companies, Greenpower would not be able to meet its key objective of helping to educate as many children as possible – in the UK, the USA, South Africa, Poland, Portugal, Ireland and even further afield – preparing them for a future career in engineering.

“Thank you to the Motorola Solutions Foundation for ultimately helping us to increase the number of schools that Greenpower works with globally. It’s also fantastic that Motorola Solutions supply all the radios required for our International Final, and plan to have a volunteer programme in the near future for employees to get involved in our activities.”

The Motorola Solutions Foundation provides grants around the world with an emphasis on programming in communities where Motorola Solutions has a significant presence. For 85 years, Motorola has worked side-by-side with law enforcement to develop the solutions that support its mission. The Motorola Foundation has also invested in a wide variety of science, technology, engineering and math programming (STEM). Since 2009, the Foundation has provided more than $67 million in funding to organisations around the world.