What do turbines have to do with ‘Learning for the Future’?

An idea becomes a Swiss Youth in Science project

Noel Rhyner describes how his project started as follows: “Imagine you’re standing on a railway platform near the white line and a train pulls in. You can feel this force pulling you in, and I wondered whether it might be possible to generate energy from it.” A vocational school teacher then helped him design a generator for the turbines he had built himself and encouraged him to take part in the SJf national competition.

Ambitious teachers at baccalaureate and vocational schools, as well as workplace trainers, act as SJf ambassadors, encouraging talented and intrinsically motivated young people to enter the national competition. Around 400 entries have been submitted each year over the last decade. A competition committee selects the entries for the semi-final. It comprises experts covering a wide range of disciplines, from linguistics to mathematics, in the three national languages German, French and Italian. These professionals draw on their networks to find experts to provide one-to-one coaching to the young participants on their journey to the final, a learning process that is invaluable. Suggested improvements are incorporated, and depending on how the implementation is assessed, a project is selected by the competition committee for the final. In 2023, just under 130 projects made it through to the final. At this stage, the experts assess all projects within their own field of expertise. It is then the responsibility of the relevant expert from the competition committee to moderate the process of the final comparative allocation of awards (medals). 

For his competition entry, Energy generation through vehicle-induced airflow, Noel Rhyner developed vertical turbines designed to convert vehicle-induced airflow into electrical energy. His project was rated ‘very good’ – the equivalent to a silver medal – in the final of the 2023 national competition, where it was assessed alongside 24 other projects in the Physics & Technology category. As a special prize, he was also given the opportunity to present his project to a broader audience at the Swiss Innovation Forum in the same year, and take part in the forum’s various sessions. 

What skills are needed for the occupational profiles of tomorrow?

In 2024, Noel Ryhner took part in the 13th International Swiss Talent Forum (ISTF) on the theme Learning for the Future. The SJf gives selected finalists of the national competition the opportunity to network at the ISTF with a total of around 80 talented individuals from Switzerland and abroad, who have been nominated by partner organisations. Over the course of five days, challengers and coaches support five international teams as they work on developing new ideas for the future. In 2024, these ideas were shaped by diverse experiences with national education systems and the various opportunities they offer for acquiring the most sought-after skills for the occupational profiles of tomorrow. With his background, Noel Rhyner had plenty to share with his colleagues on this subject.