Over 400 youngsters and their families attended an open day in Cleator Moor to see engineering projects in action – and had the opportunity to try out the technology themselves.
Sellafield’s Engineering Centre of Excellence hosted the open day to inspire the next generation of engineers from the county.
Organised by The Institute of Engineering and Technology, the event, now in its fourth year, showcased the innovative engineering, AI and robotics projects that organisations across the West Cumbrian engineering sector are working on.
The Engineering Open House Day is aimed at children aged five to 13 and their parents/guardians to understand what it’s like to work as an engineer or technologist.
Exhibitors and demonstrations from several departments within Sellafield were on display, alongside other organisations involved in the local engineering, robotics and technology industries, including CORE Nuclear Solutions, Industrial Solutions Hub (iSH), Gen2 and Co-Lab Engineering.
From robot dogs to flying drones simulators, virtual reality headsets to AI software, there were dozens of fun and engaging demonstrations for the youngsters to enjoy and learn from.
Artur Majchrowski, one of the engineers from Sellafield’s IET team said: “To most people we are a nuclear facility sat behind high fences with security at the gate, they don’t know what we do and the many varied careers on offer.
“Being able to use this fantastic off-site facility is an opportunity for us to bring those jobs to life, to show young people that a career in STEM can be rewarding and fun.
“There is so much more to Sellafield than people know. We aim to keep refreshing what we have on offer, so that each IET Engineering Open House Day experience is different.
“A huge thank you goes to other companies who came along to support what we are trying to do.
“Hopefully we will have inspired a number of those who attended to pursue a career in STEM.”
Craig Branney, Sellafield’s head of off site developments, said: “It’s been brilliant to once again show the young people of West Cumbria all the different aspects of engineering and maintenance at Sellafield and in the supply chain.
“It was wonderful to welcome so many youngsters and their families – more than 400 throughout the day.
“Hopefully it opens the door to them to be inspired and to think about future career opportunities. My two youngest daughters, Penelope and Ophelia, came along to see what we do here and absolutely loved it. It was a fantastic day.
“But it’s only the start of what we can do here. There’s plenty more to come!”
Cleator Moor-based Industrial Solution Hubs (iSH) were one of several organisations from West Cumbria demonstrating their technology and projects and presented children with a fun LEGO challenge to tackle.
Gary McKeating, managing director of iSH, said: “Days like this are all about ensuring that the next generation of engineering talent comes from our local communities.
“It is an exciting time for the sector and for industry across the region, so anything that promotes the skills and career opportunities available to our young people is very important.
“It’s a fun and creative day that inspires young people to think about their future and how their creativity will make a difference to future generations.”
