Home Automation Challenge – Apprentice Competition

Home Automation Challenge

Are you an apprentice? Would you like the chance to win £2,000? Why not join the UK's most talented apprentices in an innovative design and manufacturing challenge to improve an everyday home or garden device? 

Our Home Automation Challenge is free to enter and open to all apprentices from companies, colleges and training providers of engineering and manufacturing technologies. 

The scope is as broad as your imagination and your team must demonstrate engineering competences according to the Engineering Council's UK-SPEC for EngTech.

Your team will need to design a product and build a prototype of a working model. You will also need to submit a report prior to the competition, which includes a design specification, manufacturing instructions and user manual. You must also submit a business case for the mass production and sale of the product. 

The judges base their decisions on design integrity, quality of prototype, functionality, presentation, and the depth of each team’s knowledge.

All team members are encouraged to sign up for Affiliate EngTech membership with the Institution. Membership for apprentices is free. For further benefits on membership and how to apply, visit our Affiliate Member pages.

Maximum of six members per team.

How you benefit

The benefits include opportunities to:

  • Develop your research and practical technical skills
  • Broaden your professional development and understanding of key EngTech competences
  • Enhance your project management skills
  • Widen your manufacturing experience
  • Develop your leadership and team-working skills
  • Include the project on your CV

The competition is organised by the Institution’s Manufacturing Industries Division's, Young Members Committee and is free to enter.

Teams must be based in the UK to participate.

How to enter

Registration for the 2017 Home Automation Challenge is now closed.

Assessment and deadlines for 2017

The assessment is carried out in two parts. Participants must:

  • Submit registration pack by 17 March 2017
  • Submit final report on product by 16 June 2017
  • Attend a Finals Day with a demonstrator providing a presentation to a panel of industry experts on 14 July 2017, The Manufacturing Training Centre (MTC), Coventry

Finals Day

The 2017 Finals Day where the teams demonstrate their prototype and present it to a panel of industry experts will be held on 14 July 2017 at The Manufacturing Training Centre (MTC), Coventry.

Email hacapprenticecomp@imechenearyou.org to register if you would like to attend.

The winning team will receive £2,000, a plaque and certificate.

Get in touch

If you'd like to find out more about the Home Automation Apprentice Challenge, we'd like to hear from you.

Home Automation Challenge news