Girls get insight into engineering
Initiative to boost pupils’ career options
Pupils from a West Lothian primary school have taken part in a unique project with West Lothian College students partly aimed at encouraging more girls to enter employment in the Engineering industry.
Primary seven students at Peel Primary School in Livingston were invited into the college’s engineering campus for a tour and to learn about the equipment and machinery.
The pupils also learned more about STEM subjects – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
As part of their personal development unit, college students undertaking their NC Level 5 Fabrication and Welding course came up with the project concept, with the help of their lecturer Rachel Tulloch, and Depute Head of the Computing and Engineering Centre, Helen Young.
Student Mark McGovern said: “The idea behind the visit was to help promote engineering to younger people and to encourage more girls to consider this field as a career option.
“By inviting pupils at a P7 level we thought it would give them some guidance of what engineering is, and also help choose a career path when the they start high school.”
The pupils enjoyed working with HND students on the computers and being given the chance to try out drawing both 2D and 3D shapes with the students, as well as being shown all the large machines in the workshop.
Helen Young, Depute Head of the Computing and Engineering Centre, said: “We are excited at the prospect of working with more West Lothian schools to promote engineering to young people, particularly girls, which will hopefully pave the way for more young people to enter the world of engineering when they leave school.
“This has also been a great experience for the students who organised the visit.”