PUPILS’ HEATHROW CHALLENGE
Heathrow event lets youngsters build their own Terminal 5
ALMOST 2,500 students across west London took part in the eighth annual Heathrow’s Secondary School Challenge last week.
It was held in 15 different schools in neighbouring boroughs to the airport, including Ealing, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Slough and Spelthorne.
During the half-day event, on Tuesday, April 27, Heathrow engineering apprentices helped students build their own n version of the Terminal 5 Track Transit System m (TTS), the train that at shuttles passengers too satellite terminals.
By listening to the e Heathrow apprentices es students got an insight ht into the wide range of f engineering careers rs available at Heathrow.
Both the Heathrow w Secondary School ol Challenge and Heathrow’s ’s Primary School Challenge e – held annually in autumn n – are designed too encourage a new generation to explore careers in engineering and address a national skills gap in this field.
Engineering UK estimates that Britain needs to double the number of recruits into engineering to meet demand.
Kelly Stone, engineering training and development manager, said: “Heathrow’s engineering apprenticeshipprogramme is amongst the most popular in the UK and our engineering apprentices inevitably become some of our most talented colleagues here at the airport.
“In fact, over 40 per cent of the current engineering workforce, including senior managers, is composed of exapprentices. We hope their enthusiasm and skills will inspire a new generation of home grown apprentices at our airport.”
Jenny Mercer, Heathrow engineering apprentice, said: “It was great to share my experiences with those that could eventually be my colleagues at Heathrow, particularly young women.
“Engineering can be a male-dominated sphere of work, and I hope that by talking to young women directly about my experience, we can share the potential of a career in engineering and recruit them to join our Heathrow team.”