Debrecen4U November 6, 2026

Recruitment Begins for 2027 WATCH Career Guidance Programme

Following success in previous academic years, the WATCH (Welcome All to Tech) career guidance programme for secondary school students will return in January 2027. A joint initiative by Agora Science Centre and Emerson | NI, the programme aims to make STEM subjects more appealing to students through hands-on activities involving real-life engineering challenges, while also giving them the opportunity to experience the benefits and enjoyment of teamwork.

The project-based free programme will run until mid-June 2027 and is aimed primarily at Year 10 students who will soon have to make decisions about their future studies and careers. During the introductory training phase, selected participants will work together in four groups, attending 90-minute sessions outside school hours. This will be followed by a 13-week project development phase, during which they will work in smaller teams of three to five to create interactive structures. The organisers will also once again host events showcasing careers in science and successful engineering career paths, which will be open to everyone interested.

Volunteers from EMERSON | NI, Sensirion Hungary and Diehl Aviation Hungary, as well as staff from several faculties of the University of Debrecen, will take part in the programme as mentors to help students discover their strengths, learn the steps involved in creative problem-solving and explore the many rewarding aspects of a career in engineering.

Projects created in the WATCH workshop during the previous season included a thermal drawing machine, a reflex wall, a theremin and a digital kaleidoscope. Participants presented these creations to great acclaim at the WATCH closing event in June and some of the devices were also showcased to visitors at the Campus Festival and Researchers’ Night.

One of the programme’s key objectives is to promote diversity in the future engineering workforce by encouraging both girls and boys to consider engineering as a possible career path, including those who may previously have thought it was not an option for them. In the coming weeks, Agóra staff will visit several secondary schools to introduce students to WATCH with the help of former WATCH participants who have since become university students and whose career decisions were greatly influenced by the programme.

The most important information about WATCH, along with the application form, is also available on Agora Science Centre’s website. Interested students can submit their applications by 14 December 2026 using the form available there.

Source and photo credit: dehir.hu