Fabricom Offshore Services supports a range of STEM activities in the North East region, in recognition of the shortage of skilled engineers in the industry and to encourage school age children to consider a career in engineering. The company has over 30 trained STEM ambassadors and each ambassador is asked to undertake at least one activity a year to support schools and colleges with engineering-related STEM events.
The aim is to help school students discover insights into the engineering industry; the types of jobs available in engineering, its potential for an interesting and diverse career, and to help them, their parents and teachers, to consider some of the options available to those with capabilities in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects.
First-year engineering apprentices Amy Dodds and Caitlin Cooper were delighted to represent Fabricom at the recent ‘Girls into Engineering Day’, held at Tyne Metropolitan College. Fabricom apprentices currently study for their qualifications at the college. They were accompanied by Emma Blake, an engineer in Fabricom’s Piping team. Thirty Year 7 students (ages 11-12) from three local secondary schools were selected to participate in the event to learn about the engineering industry.
The Fabricom team gave a 15-minute presentation about the company and explained a little about different types of engineering. The activity they carried out with students was to construct a rocket from a balloon, propelled along a guide string; the girls divided into groups of four to do this. This model is used to develop an understanding of Newton's three laws of motion, examining the effect of different forces on the motion of the rocket. To finish, there was a 15-minute minute question and answer session.
Amy Dodds, an apprentice mechanical engineer, says her role model to enter engineering was her father:
“I wanted to follow in his footsteps and do what he was doing as my own career. I think it’s more important that girls have role models to encourage them to do engineering as it has been seen as a man’s job, when being an engineer is a job for both men and women. More women are going into engineering and that’s because young students are seeing women going into the industry, which is why events like this are important.”
Amy chose an apprenticeship over going to university:
“I applied for an apprenticeship as I wanted to study for my qualifications while gaining experience within the industry. I chose this apprenticeship scheme as I come from a family of engineers. My mother works in civil engineering and my father works offshore, so they were a huge influence for me.”
Her colleague Caitlin Cooper, an apprentice structural engineer, said it was important that girls have female role models, as well as access to practical events and activities like fun STEM days, which could help to "rid the profession of the stereotype of being a man’s job”.
Both the young apprentices feel that working with the young students helped facilitate questions, and showed the girls that they could achieve a practical application of some basic principles.
Caitlin said: “The girls asked us questions which are important to them, such as the dress code at work, where you worked, whether I had always wanted to be an engineer, and how many days’ holidays I got, to name a few.”
Amy added that she had attended similar outreach events when she was at school, so she also anticipated that she would be asked about qualifications needed to become an engineer, why it is a good industry to make a career in, and questions about the sorts of companies that could be a future employer.
Emma Blake, Engineer, Piping Department at Fabricom accompanied Caitlin and Amy to the college. She said:
“Supporting STEM activities allows future generations of engineers to understand the profession and discover the ways in which they can get into the industry. It is a privilege to mentor engineering apprentices and graduates at Fabricom Offshore Services, it is highly rewarding to support and guide them in reaching their full potential and see them grow into confident, professional engineers.”
Gary Eiles, who teaches Engineering at Tyne Metropolitan College, warmly thanked the Fabricom team for their time and encouragement:
“We were delighted to have hosted this successful ‘Women into Engineering’ event at Tyne Met College, as we realise that it has never been more important to address the engineering skills shortage.”
He added: “The event specifically focused on the great opportunities for women in engineering. By encouraging girls into an engineering career, we will be increasing diversity and inclusion, and also helping to fill the substantial future job opportunities that have been predicted in this sector.”