Baxi teams up with Primary Engineer to inspire young people to take up engineering careers
3 May 2023
There's a subject that is always in our trade press – that young people are not choosing a career in engineering. This is leading to a skills shortage, as the experienced trades people change tack or retire, and has been a worry for the construction industry for some time.
With the energy transition becoming a reality and home heating systems set to change in the coming years, this is something we at Baxi have been very concerned about. It's one of the reasons we've teamed up with Primary Engineer, an organisation that brings engineering into primary school classrooms, to inspire the next generation through projects and competitions and puts engineering firmly onto the curriculum.
For the second year running, our engineers have been working with Primary Engineer to introduce the world of engineering to Key Stage 1 and 2 children in 10 schools close to our manufacturing site in Bamber Bridge, Preston.
The first milestone of the project was a training session for teachers at the participating schools, held at Preston College and joined by Baxi engineers. The classroom Construction projects have been carefully designed by Primary Engineer to help the children develop skills such as visualisation, creative problem-solving, testing and evaluation, and to develop teamwork and communication. The Mayor of Preston, Neil Darby, came to watch as the teachers and Baxi engineers worked together to build the projects that will bring engineering to a new generation.
Our Managing Director, Karen Boswell, said: “Baxi has been part of the Preston community for over 150 years, and we’re delighted to continue supporting local schools with this programme. Engineering offers so many varied and exciting opportunities, including designing and building products and services that help decarbonise heat for communities and the environment. Initiatives such as Primary Engineer give us the confidence that we can continue to commit investment in capable and career focused school leavers and graduates to help us grow in the years ahead”.
Harrison Carey is a Product Design Engineer at Baxi and is one of 10 of our engineers who have volunteered to take part in the Primary Engineer's programme. He said: “Primary Engineer is a fun and hands-on way to introduce children to the world of engineering. It’s fantastic to see the children unleash their imagination using skills they’ve learnt in the classroom! This will be my second year working with Primary Engineer and I hope to contribute for many more to come. Engineering plays such a vital role in our communities and it’s rewarding to see children showing interest from such a young age”.
Find out more about Primary Engineer
Find out how Baxi is preparing for the energy transition here