A CARDIGAN student has won one of the top prizes in the prestigious WJEC and Welsh Government’s Innovation Awards 2017.

Macx Roche, from Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, earned the award for his A-level Design & Technology product design Beta-Box project.

He won the top prize for the use of CAD and CAM (Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture) in all Design and Technology projects undertaken in Wales this year - an outstanding achievement and the second time in three years the award has been won by Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi.

Innovation 2107 is a showcase exhibition and competition for the most innovative project work at A Level and GCSE in Design & Technology.

The purpose of the event is to encourage young people to be technologically innovative and appreciate the importance of both design and technology.

Macx’s Beta-Box is a secure, organised, robust and easily maintained storage device for a daily diabetes kit without the need to compromise on function or aesthetics.

Macx, whose experience of being with friends with diabetes, developed the Beta-Box to enable them to enjoy activities and to keep active. Beta-Box is a medical kit companion designed to ease their concerns and not let the diabetes get in the way.

He developed Beta-Box using the industry standard Solid Works 3D CAD software at the school and developed and fabricated the final prototype using a 3D printer.

Macx, who is now studying a degree in Theatre Design and Production at Trinity Saint David University of Wales, recently travelled to the Senedd in Cardiff with his D&T teacher Mr Emyr James for the awards ceremony.

Cabinet Secretary for Education Kirsty Williams AM presented both him and Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi with their prizes.

Macx has also been selected to go forward to the National Science and Engineering Competition held at the Big Bang Fair at the NEC in March next year.

Launched in 2009, The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair is the UK’s biggest single celebration of science and engineering for young people and aims to celebrate and inspire them.

This year this multi-million pound event held at the NEC in Birmingham attracted more than 80,000 visitors over the four days.

A total of 200 science and technology projects are selected from the whole of the UK to be part of the Big Bang. This will be the eighth Big Bang Fair for Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi to qualify for since it was established.

The event is led by Engineering UK in partnership with the British Science Association, the Institute of Physics, the Science Council, the Royal Academy of Engineering and Young Engineers.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education both provide significant support along with a large number of high profile sponsors from industry.