Sellafield engineering centre promotes STEM careers to students

Students have been inspired to pursue careers in engineering as part of a STEM education programme. 

Year 10 pupils from four secondary schools in West Cumbria have visited Sellafield’s Engineering Centre of Excellence as part of the React Foundation’s ICanToo programme.

The programme, organised by volunteers at the React Foundation in conjunction with charity Inspira, provides educational activities and visits away from a classroom environment to encourage young people to pursue STEM careers.

Sellafield’s Engineering Centre of Excellence at Cleator Moor organised a range of practical and technology-based tasks, ranging from drone simulations, 3D printing and circuit making to code breaking and bridge building.

As part of the programme, Inspira employability specialists provide one-to-one mentoring for students, set business-related tasks and nurture the young people’s professional and personal development.

Kevin Rishworth, engineering lead at the Centre of Excellence, said: “It’s always good to welcome the next generation into the facility to show them the engineering excellence which happens here on a daily basis, and it’s great to be able to inspire them by highlighting the exciting opportunities which are readily available to them.”