Smallpeice Trust Helps Youngsters Set Sail for a Career in Nuclear Marine Engineering

Leamington Spa, United Kingdom, August 06, 2014 --(PR.com)-- From 21st to 24th July, leading engineering support services company, Babcock, the Defence Academy and the Royal Navy recently teamed up with educational charity, The Smallpeice Trust to offer fifty students from across the UK the chance to gain an insight into nuclear marine engineering.

The four-day residential course for 13 and 14 year old students took place at the exclusive venues, HMS Bristol, HMS Excellent and HMS Sultan – where the Royal Navy trains its marine and nuclear engineers. HMS Sultan is also being increasingly used by the industry as a venue for apprentice training.

Through a series of practical workshops and lectures provided by the staff from the Nuclear Department of the Defence Academy, the budding young engineers learnt about nuclear power including how a nuclear reactor works and the associated propulsion and electrical generation systems. The students took part in a practical challenge, facilitated by engineers from Babcock, where they had to design-and-make a crane that would have to lift spent fuel rods out of a nuclear reactor. They also did a simulation exercise which looked at the principles of reactor operation.

Whilst on the course, students had the unique opportunity of staying in the Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Bristol moored at Portsmouth Harbour. Social activities included a submarine museum tour, a harbour cruise and a trip to the local beach and Clarence Pier. The course culminated with a reception and full mess dinner held in the Wardroom at HMS Collingwood where students were able to discuss their achievements with the companies that had supported the course along with specially invited guests.

During the course students developed life skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving and time management, and had the opportunity to learn about the different options available to them if they wish to have a future career in nuclear marine engineering.

Rosemary Prout, Babcock Graduate Training Manager, commented “This has been a great opportunity for these students to gain an insight into the exciting field of Nuclear Marine Engineering and by working with our graduates, providing them with some potential ideas for their future career options. Hopefully it will have highlighted the importance of pursuing STEM subjects: the design and build element of the course is tremendously appealing to the students and it enables them to put their learning into practice.”

Lieutenant Adam Rooke, Head of the Marine Engineering Submarines Section and the Royal Navy lead for the course added “The Nuclear Marine Engineering residential course continues to deliver an exciting and informative experience to Year 9 sudents from around the UK. The collaborative efforts of The Smallpeice Trust, Babcock, the civil service and the Royal Navy have hopefully inspired the students to look further into a career in engineering. Along with all my colleagues we have provided an insight into the world of nuclear engineering and it’s application in the marine environment. The course is an excellent tool for students and I hope it will continue for many years to come.”

Claire Fisher, spokesperson for The Smallpeice Trust commented, “With the continuing support from Babcock and the Royal Navy, we were able to offer students an enjoyable yet challenging insight into what nuclear marine engineering actually entails. This is real engineering, solving challenges, refining solutions and there is always a real engineer on hand to encourage and support the students.”

The Nuclear Marine Engineering course is organised by independent charity, The Smallpeice Trust, and is part of an on-going programme of residential courses to help young people aged 12 to 18 learn and develop skills in engineering, design, technology and manufacturing. Through running residential courses and STEM enrichment days, The Trust has reached out to 17,495 students across the UK in the past year.

The new course timetable for 2015 will be launched in the autumn school term. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. To find out more, visit www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk, or telephone The Smallpeice Trust on 01926 333200.

Notes to Editors:

About The Smallpeice Trust:

The Smallpeice Trust is an independent charitable trust which promotes engineering as a career, primarily through the provision of residential courses for young people aged 12 to 18.

Over the past year, The Smallpeice Trust has engaged with 17,495 young people through 35 different subsidised residential courses, in-school STEM Days and starting up STEM Clubs. More emphasis has been put on programmes physically delivered by The Smallpeice Trust. The Smallpeice Trust has also trained 1,280 teachers to enhance their delivery of STEM in the classroom.