Mission to Mars
A launchpad for young tech talent
Mission to Mars is the ultimate work experience for students who want to dive into tech, tackle challenges, and have an awesome time along the way. It’s interactive, engaging, and filled with opportunities to develop essential skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication. Oh, and did we mention you’ll get to code your own autonomous robots?
years of Mission to Mars
students' futures ignited
local tech companies involved
Building skills while having a blast
Here’s the story: there’s a company that has built a rover for Mars. The hardware is ready, but the software? That’s where you come in.
You and your team will be tasked with proving your ability to develop the operational code to bring a test rover to life. Think coding, teamwork, and big ideas – it’s like you’re part of a real-life tech start-up.
- Get into teams: You’ll create a company name, come up with values, and plan your strategy.
- Solve cool challenges: There are 18 tasks to complete, each earning your team some “Core Coins.” It’s all about solving problems and managing your resources.
- Hands-on fun: Build circuits, programme the rovers, and test your code - because learning is way more fun when you’re doing, not just watching.
- Agile awesomeness: And because we do things the Agile way, you’ll learn about standups, retrospectives, and working collaboratively.
- Presentation time: At the end of the period, you’ll showcase your hard work to an audience of parents, VIPs, and even potential future employers – it's your moment to shine!
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“Teamwork, communication and learning how to overcome the challenge of things not working or having work being rejected are key lessons I’ve carried on into my job and current education.”
Emily Kershaw | Mission to Mars Alum
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Why join?
This isn’t your typical work experience where you just watch other people work. Mission to Mars gives you a proper deep dive into the tech world. You’ll:
- Learn new skills like coding, teamwork, and problem-solving
- Boost your confidence by tackling real-world challenges
- Explore the tech industry and see if it’s the career for you
Oh, and did we mention it’s a total blast?
Curious about where Mission to Mars could take you? Hear from past participants who’ve turned this epic experience into a launchpad for their tech journeys!
When is it happening?
The Work Experience 2026 starts with a remote component. Open to any student interested in learning more about software development. Work on the remote experience will count towards the application for the in person encounter in July. Invitations for the in person experience will be sent to those students successfully completing the remote work before February 2026.
The in person experience will take place during the week of 13th – 17th July 2026 lasting two days.
Applications are open for the remote experience until July 2026.
The remote experience is part of the application process for the in person work experience and needs to be completed by February half term 2026.
Why it’s a big deal
Mission to Mars has been inspiring young tech talent since 2015. It’s even won awards, like the Tech South West Best Education Initiative, and has helped loads of students get their first taste of what working in tech is all about.
By the end you’ll have skills, confidence, and maybe even a clearer idea of where you want to go next. Plus, you’ll have a repository of work to share from your CV and an awesome story to tell about how you brought a Mars rover to life.
Ready to blast off? Don’t miss your chance to join our next Mission to Mars. Sign up today for access to the mission.
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“The Mission to Mars week provides a fantastic experience for learners where they gain experience of what It is like to be a “real” software developer. We find that Mission to Mars is a great opportunity for learners to gain practical key skills in programming and team working which is invaluable in future practice. Learners thoroughly enjoy the Mission to Mars experience and are incredibly proud of everything they achieve across the week.”
Naomi Johns, Programme Manager, Truro and Penwith College
Why should the kids have all the fun?
Mission to Mars isn’t just for students – we can run bespoke adult sessions too! These are perfect for team building, skills assessments, or just a fun away day!
Whether it’s evaluating candidates for an apprenticeship programme or helping remote teams connect in person, Mission to Mars Professionals gets everyone working together, communicating, and solving challenges.
And trust us, the competitive edge kicks in quickly! From HR Heads to CIOs, participants often get so hooked they’ll want to skip lunch to keep testing their rovers.
So why not let your team blast off and see what they can achieve?
Contact us today to plan your bespoke mission.
