Young Engineer

ENGINEERS FOR THE FUTURE
In this country we have a developing reputation for undervaluing, indeed not caring for, skilled, manual workers.  We have gained this reputation by appearing to value people in schools that go on to work in academic areas more, and allowing our potentially skilled manual workers to feel second-class.  We have allowed and encouraged a curriculum to develop that supports and maintains this culture. In order for us to progress and develop as a country we need to break this mindset.  We need to develop young people who have a wide variety of skills that may not necessarily be academic but are wholly necessary to our society.  In addition we need to ensure that we value and cherish them.  We need to ensure that the young people themselves recognise the value and esteem in which they are being held.  They must be seen to be as important in a school as the gifted academic young people.  These occupations, although well paid, need very high levels of skills and training;  they need intelligent and committed people.

Appleby Grammar School, Kirkby Stephen Grammar School and ourselves have developed courses in engineering for pupils aged 14 - 16 years of age.  The underpinning reasons for running the courses is to develop the value and work for people with hands on occupations that include electricians, plumbers, mechanics, engineers and builders.  We aim to develop and widen the courses that we offer. These courses are very expensive, due to the variety of courses needed to run them.  They cut into course tutor time and need costly equipment and materials to make them of value to the young people.

We need you to help us continue to run and develop these courses.  We need individuals and companies to sponsor us - this can be in a variety of ways, it may be with a piece of equipment (that you now have no use for) or with materials - if we are to make the course a valuable experience the students need to use a wide variety of materials.  We need relevant, experiential work placements, visiting speakers or organisations to visit.  We would also like companies to consider sponsoring an individual student.

As you can see, we need all the help we can to continue running these valuable courses.  We know that we are asking a lot from you as an industry, however, if we don't invest together in the younger generation, then the younger generation are not likely to invest their skills in our industry. Our fear is that if we continue to undervalue and dismiss these skills, the cost will be too much for us all to bear.

John Weir
General Manager

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COMMENTS FROM:

EXTERNAL CONTRACTS
Over the last five years the Centre has been involved in restoring a variety of projects for:

*National Railway Museum at York
*Llanfiar & Welshpool Railway
*Beamish Museum
*Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway

The Centre has attracted interest from many railway experts including the Awdry family of those very famous books.

"Over the last few years I have been following progress at the Appleby Heritage Centre, of the restoration of a carriage for a railway group based in the Lake District.  I have seen a forlorn-looking carriage, which has been standing in the open for most of the last 60 years, transformed into a vehicle that will satisfy stringent safety requirements and, very shortly, be carrying railway passengers.  The work was done by young people whose expertise, even at this early stage, was much to be admired, and reflects great credit on those in charge of their tuition.

"At the Centre they are learning skills that will serve them well as they seek jobs in the wider world.  Appleby Heritage Centre is the sort of initiative that one does not often come across:  it is to be applauded and, in my view, is well worth supporting."

Christopher Awdry
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PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS
"I was attracted to engineering as a career as it offered interesting and varied work.  The opportunity to be involved in either the design or construction schemes, and the choice of working in a design office or on a construction site as either a contractor or consultant appealed to me.

"The civil engineering mission 'to harness the power of nature for the benefit of mankind' has many guises and makes a fascinating career.

"The degree course and subsequent work experience has been very good.  As a female engineer I have been treated as just another engineer and not received any special treatment.  I have been accepted as an engineer in various roles throughout my career, including site supervision on multi-million pound schemes.

"A good engineer should be 'incurably curious', as my first boss used to tell me frequently.  If you enjoy problem solving and have an enquiring mind then a career in engineering could be for you - whether you are male or female.  The work is enjoyable.  Engineers make good colleagues and create a good working environment."

Valerie Bridgens
Ravenstonedale

Careers in engineering can be interesting, varied and very well paid.
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COMMENTS FROM OUR STUDENTS
You've heard our views, and that of other independent occupational experts but hear the views of those who really matter - our young engineers.

"I have really enjoyed learning how to use the lathe, we use the gas and electric welders and when we are servicing we can now get on and do it.  I really enjoy it."

Andrew Park
 
"I have learnt different symbols for drawings, as well as how to use the lathe.  I can do some gas welding and I will soon be able to make something using the stick welder.  I am learning about the pillar drill."

Chris Archer
   
"I have been servicing machinery and have been cleaning a carburettor;  I need to practice my welding - I enjoy it and I know I will get better at it."

Carl Vernon Hoole
 
"I have just finished making a setsquare, I have learnt the importance of being accurate, and what the two sides of a file are for.  I want to be able to make things at home and fit things to 0.1mm."

Craig Robinson
   
"The best part of the course is that I am learning to use my hands and to use equipment that I haven't used before.  I would like to do this when I leave school."

Philip Capstick

As you can see, the students are really enjoying this new, exciting opportunity. However we do need your help.

We need all sorts of help:

Vocational support - feedback about what sort of skills you would like the youth of today to be learning - what's the point of giving them skills for employment if they're the wrong ones?

Old equipment - before you throw anything away, think of us, perhaps their is some learning value from repairing it, perhaps there's still life in that piece of equipment?

Support - have you got an hour to spare, could you talk to these students about engineering, or show them around your workplace - encourage them to consider engineering as a career route?

Finance - we are looking for a sponsor for each of our 19 students. Unfortunately the course does not attract mainstream funding, and if we are to continue with this innovative pilot scheme, which is already up for National Awards, then we must try to attract sponsorship.  For as little as £200, you could sponsor one pupil for his/her two year course (and yes we do have a female engineer here in Appleby).

Can you help us in anyway at all to try to encourage these pupils to turn into Engineers?  Are you interested in hearing more?  Would you like to see us in action?

If so, ring:

John Weir
Appleby Training and Heritage Centre
Station Yard
Appleby-in-Westmorland
Cumbria

017683 53350
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The Centre offers a variety of practical skills training including:

NVQs in Engineering
Voc. GCSE in Engineering
Voc. A Level (AVCE) in Engineering
Progression Award in Engineering
Welding Certificates
NVQs in Wood Occupations
Computer Aided Design
Manual Handling
COSHH
First Aid
or Bespoke Training

For more information on some of the training courses we offer visit the Training & Short Courses pages or get in touch with us.  Details are on the Contact page.