Pupils take part in Babcock’s Festival of Engineering series
Image courtesy Babcock
Festival of Engineering (FOE), kicks-off at Babcock’s Bristol site this week, 4th and 5th March, co-inciding with UNESCO World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development.
Pupils from right across the region will take part in a day of activities all centred around Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) supported by companies from across the UK.
Organised by Babcock’s own graduate community, circa 1500 pupils are expected to take part in the three FOE events, with two other events planned at Babcock’s facilties in Rosyth in May, where the event began six years go, and in Devonport, Plymouth in June.
Around 400 pupils schoolchildren, teachers, partner companies and customers are taking part in the Bristol event, whilst hearing from guest speakers including Alice Bunn OBE, CEO of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
The Royal Navy, Engineering UK, industry partners like BAE Systems and the charity, Not Just for Girls, are supporting the event and its key theme of Breaking Down Barriers, particularly around women in engineering, defence-related career pathways and empowering those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Louise Atkinson, Babcock’s Chief People Officer, who was a guest speaker at the event, said: “Babcock’s Festival of Engineering is our flagship series of STEM events in 2025 and we are proud to launch them across the UK, building on the legacy we have created in Rosyth, with an ambition to take it internationally. These events are aimed at raising awareness of the amazing opportunities STEM careers can give young people and to help students make informed career-based decisions at a young age.
“Holding events like this means we can introduce pupils to a wide range of career choices in these fields that they may not have considered before.
“These events are part of our wider contribution within the communities that we are proud to be part of. We have a focus on developing a skilled, diverse and inclusive workforce which in turn supports the health and growth of the economy such as here in the south west.”
