The occasion marked the celebration of an early careers programme orchestrated by Primary Engineer in collaboration with Morson Group. The programme aims to encourage enthusiasm for engineering among young school students, sparking interest in STEM subjects from an early age.
Led by Primary Engineer, a company dedicated to nurturing young talent in engineering and promoting engagement in STEM subjects, the event served as both a celebration and a showcase of the programme’s achievements. Children from seven different schools across Manchester, along with their teachers, gathered to interact with engineers from Morson Projects, sharing their creations and engaging in a plethora of activities ranging from building various structures with LEGO to playing Jenga.
The main activities throughout the day revolved around the vehicles the children had made in class being put to the test. Automatic vehicles were put through their paces, with tests being run on how fast they were, and how much weight they could carry with attachable cargo. Vehicles that were non-automatic were released down a ramp, seeing if they could travel far enough to reach the designated area labelled as the train station.
One standout student from the event was 10-year-old Jacob from St. Mary’s School in Swinton. Jacob, who clinched the ‘Star Apprentice’ award, showcased his ingenuity with a fully automatic train complete with internal wiring, with the design being inspired by the Japanese bullet trains. Expressing his passion for engineering, particularly in space exploration, Jacob explained how he aspires to work at NASA or SpaceX in the future. He credited the programme for accelerating his interest in engineering and shaping his career aspirations.
Reflecting on the transformative impact of the programme, Mr. Chadwick, Jacob’s class teacher at St. Mary’s School, emphasised the remarkable surge in STEM engagement among students since their involvement with Morson Group and Primary Engineer:
“Since the school joined the programme, we have seen a dramatic rise in STEM subject engagement across the children. We set up an after-school engineering club a couple of years ago which initially saw very few children coming down, but now we have thirteen children, a mixture of boys and girls, attending the club. More and more kids seem to be opting for following careers in STEM, as opposed to the classic desire to be a footballer or a YouTuber. It’s refreshing to see. The Morson Projects engineer that has visited the school, Francis, has been great with the children. He’s been especially motivating, and is great at showcasing what it is like to work in the industry, which is a brilliant motivator for future career interest.”
Francis, Technical Coordinator at Morson Projects, emphasised the company’s commitment to nurturing early talent through initiatives like the early careers programme with Primary Engineer.
“Despite my unconventional journey into engineering from a retail and hospitality background, I found my passion in the field and now serve as an early careers and onboarding specialist. I would encourage young minds to embrace challenges and seize opportunities, regardless of their career paths. Morson is certainly a company to consider following a career path with – they’ve been incredibly supportive of my ideas in my new role, and I feel very proud and passionate to be where I am.”
Nathalie Cachet-Gaujard, Head of Partnerships in the North of England for Primary Engineer, underscored the importance of tapping into students’ potential at an early stage of their education.
“We believe in embedding the programme into various subjects beyond STEM, including art and technology, to foster holistic development. The role played by companies like Morson Group in shaping the learning and career trajectories of future engineers is absolutely vital.”
The event concluded with an awards ceremony, where students were honoured with certificates and medals for their participation, while some received special recognition awards for their exceptional contributions. As the young minds dispersed, the echoes of enthusiasm and inspiration lingered, promising a future fuelled by innovation and driven by a passion for engineering and STEM.
Our participation in the Primary Engineer programme forms part of our larger STEM engagement programme as part of the Morson Group STEM Foundation in association with the University of Salford. Find out more here >