24 June 2016

Costain was on hand at a careers fair in Gloucestershire to help attract the next generation of personnel into the nuclear sector.

The event, Energise Your Future, was described by organisers Business West, South Gloucestershire and Stroud College and Nuclear South West as a ‘Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) inspiration event’, aimed at pupils from Years 8 to 10 from Gloucestershire and north Bristol.

The STEM-based careers fair, sponsored by Magnox, Horizon Nuclear Power and University of Gloucestershire, attracted at least 200 pupils during the day and a further group, including their parents, in the evening.

Part of the national 'Your Future' programme, it took place at Gloucestershire Science and Technology Park – appropriately, part of the former Berkeley nuclear power station site, which was the world’s first commercial nuclear powerplant before it stopped generating power in the late 1980s.

“I was there particularly to make more people aware of the nuclear sector,” said Loretta Browne, Costain’s Nuclear sector Business Development Manager. “The pupils were 11- to 15-years-old, which is a good age for us – because it’s the age at which they’re choosing which subjects to do at GCSE, thinking about their further education and career options.

“It’s the right age to influence them towards engineering as a potential route in which to go.”

Among the attractions on Costain’s stand to enthuse pupils was virtual reality equipment and models of components created from 3-D printing.

Many of the pupils already had a clear idea of the nature of engineering, others did not. “There was one girl who said she loved maths and who wanted to ‘do something real’ with it.” Loretta was able to give examples of how a maths qualification could be used for practical work in the construction and engineering and nuclear sectors.

“Matt Hall, who is Temporary Works Manager at Paddington Crossrail and I gave information about both apprenticeships and graduate careers and talked generally about careers with Costain. We also talked about work we’re doing in the area, such as rail electrification projects and the M4 road project in South Wales.”

The day was very successful, said Loretta: “It was really good, really worthwhile – it’s through these kinds of outreach programmes that we will raise awareness of Costain and increase our opportunity for young people to consider us as a future employer.”

 

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