Spaceport Cornwall draws record crowds for TECgirls festival

More than 1,500 people visited Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay on 20 and 21 June as the TECgirls Reach for the Sky Festival returned for its biggest year yet.

Fewer than 2% of girls in Cornwall are considering a career in engineering. This is the festival built to change that.

More than 800 children turned up across the two days for hands-on aviation, aerospace and engineering activities. Reach for the Sky is the UK’s only aviation and aerospace event dedicated to inspiring young girls, and it has grown every year since launching in Cornwall in 2024. This year brought together more than 20 organisations from across Cornwall and the UK, with backing from the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport.

Aircraft, fire engines and flight simulators

Visitors climbed aboard aircraft provided by Flynqy Pilot Training and Bodmin Flying Club. They got up close to Cornwall Airport’s fire appliances, tried flight simulators, tackled engineering challenges and met pilots, engineers, apprentices and emergency service responders.

The exhibitor list ran long. The Royal Aeronautical Society, Cornwall Air Ambulance, HM Coastguard, the Royal Navy, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, Goonhilly, British Young Pilots, Cornwall College, Cornwall Airport, Serco and Engineered Arts all ran interactive activities across the weekend.

The teenagers who made it happen

More than 25 teenagers aged 14 to 18 helped deliver the festival, among them TECgirls Youth Ambassadors and RAF Air Cadets. They welcomed visitors, supported exhibitors, assisted with activities and helped hundreds of children take part.

For many of them it was a first taste of working at a major public event. In rural and coastal communities, chances to gain real work experience in aviation and engineering can be hard to come by. The weekend gave them room to build confidence, teamwork and leadership while making connections with employers and professionals already in the industry.

One parent of a TECgirls Youth Ambassador said:

“My daughter is the only girl in her year at school studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry, so most of her lessons are just her and six boys. She has been on a cloud of happiness since meeting other girls studying the same subjects. Taking part in the festival came at exactly the right time. She loved every minute of helping at TECgirls and working with the children. You really can’t believe the difference it has made to her confidence, her sense of belonging and her pride in studying science, technology, engineering and maths.”

Why it matters for girls in STEM

Research by TECgirls found fewer than 2% of girls in Cornwall are considering a career in engineering, despite the sector offering well-paid work, strong progression and several education routes available locally.

Samantha Higgins, Early Careers Outreach Manager at British Airways, said:

“Too often, girls begin to self-select out of STEM subjects as they get older, so it was inspiring to learn more about the work TECwomen CIC is doing to engage much earlier, before those limiting beliefs have a chance to take hold.”

Over the past five years, TECgirls has worked with thousands of children and young people across Cornwall through school programmes, family events and mentoring.

Caitlin Gould, Founder and Director of TECgirls and TECwomen CIC, said:

“Seeing hundreds of girls enjoying the festival with their friends and families while discovering careers they may never have considered is exactly why we created Reach for the Sky. Every year we meet families who return because their daughters loved the experience so much. These opportunities matter because they help young people see that aviation, aerospace and engineering are careers where they belong. We’re incredibly grateful to all of our partners, volunteers and exhibitors who made this year’s festival our biggest and most inspiring yet.”

The money behind the weekend

The event ran thanks to the Reach for the Sky Challenge fund, part of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport’s outreach work.

Rikki-Louise Davies, Skills Lead at the Civil Aviation Authority, said:

“We are delighted to support such an inspiring and unique STEM event, and hope the young people attending left feeling motivated, empowered, and confident to pursue careers in aviation and aerospace. TECgirls have created a space where exploration, curiosity, and ambition can thrive, and they continue to support young people’s aspirations not only this year, but throughout the past three years.”

Sofia Stayte, Head of Aviation Skills and Future of Flight at the Department for Transport, said:

“I am delighted that almost £100k of Department for Transport investment gave girls in Cornwall an opportunity to discover varied, exciting careers in aviation and aerospace through a really hands-on and interactive weekend. I’m particularly proud of the excellent work that our DfT Aviation Ambassadors did to support the festival and help inspire young people from all backgrounds to learn new STEM skills, build their confidence and see the sector as a place where they can build a fulfilling career.”

With numbers climbing each year, organisers are now asking for more regional and national backing and sponsorship to keep the festival running in future.

What’s next for TECgirls

TECgirls is part of TECwomen CIC, a Cornwall-based social enterprise working to tackle gender inequality in technology, engineering and creative industries.

Two workshops are already in the diary:

• Family First Phones Workshop, 5 September at the Ladder, Redruth
• Family First Phones Workshop, 10 October at Robbo, Newquay