CrossCountry have been working with Primary Engineers inspiring the next generation of engineers through STEM early years education.
Through simple builds, KS1 and KS2 pupils were able to learn about the history of trains and simplified mechanics making their own vehicle to test out at the celebration event on Tuesday 14 June at the University of Birmingham’s School of Engineering.
We partnered with sister company Chiltern Railways to sponsor 10 schools across Birmingham and Warwickshire. Teachers were trained by Primary Engineers to deliver resources about trains and railways to their pupils, trying to address the gender imbalance in science and engineering.
Our fleet team were able to engage with the schools on the programme giving advice on their builds and telling them about their career and what they do at CrossCountry.
Adrian Hugill, CrossCountry Head of Fleet & Engineering said, “It’s been a privilege for me and the fleet team to get involved in presenting to a number of schools. It’s fantastic to be able to witness first-hand the level of engagement and enthusiasm that the children at the schools we’ve visited have had for engineering.
If through this initiative, we can encourage children to engage with engineering at such a young age then the opportunity to keep Britain at the forefront of engineering worldwide is in a good place!”
John Robson, CrossCountry Regional Director West Midlands and North West also attended the event to help judge some of the creations and present some of the awards to the winning teams. He said, “It was great to hear from the children about how they have been inspired by our people and were excited about trains and understanding more about the world of engineering.”
The event also included Network Rail, and Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) as well as being hosted by the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) based on the University campus.