Female students discover more about energy and construction sectors

Over fifty female students from colleges across Suffolk and Norfolk are to be wowed by an interactive tech fair and visit to Sizewell B nuclear power station this week in a bid to encourage more girls into the energy and construction sectors.

Thanks to support from local businesses the Year 8 students will get to grips with drones, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), 3D printing and robotics during the 2-day tech fair.

The event, called STEMpower, is organised by the ECIT (Engineering Construction Industry Training Board), EDF, East Coast College, EEEGR and New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership to ignite female pupils’ interest in STEM subjects. The event starts at East Coast College and is followed by a special visit to Sizewell B where the students will enjoy a look behind the scenes of the UKs youngest nuclear power station and meet women working in science and engineering and learn about opportunities at Sizewell C.

A number of local businesses are supporting the event, such as The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), a world leader in marine science and technology based in Lowestoft.  Cefas is working with Sizewell B and Sizewell C and will bring along a drone flown by one of their female scientists.

Jon Yates, Sizewell B Station Director, said:  “We hope to inspire the next generation of workers in the energy industry.  Nuclear power has an important role in tackling climate change and the students joining the event could one day play their part either at Sizewell B or C or with one of the renewable projects on the East coast.”

Chris Claydon, ECIT CEO, said:  “This event has been designed to feed the increasing appetite among young people to explore the full range of training and career opportunities in the energy industry. It will provide a unique opportunity to talk directly to and inspire potential employees, and showcase companies’ investment in young people and the future.”

Rachel Bunn, Vice Principal of East Coast College, said: “East Coast College is excited to be part of this ECIT programme to support young females to consider a career in the Engineering sector. This unique regional event will allow pupils to engage with local companies, use emerging technologies to aid their learning as well as access careers advice on possible routes into the sector.”