Powering Ideas
Twenty four teachers from across Coventry, Warwickshire and the Midlands region from as far a field as Worcester, had a chance to experience first hand the infrastructure behind the electricity and gas transport networks in the UK.
The placement day on June 15 for teachers was hosted by National Grid at Warwick and was organised by the Warwickshire Education Business Partnership in conjunction with the Royal Academy of Engineers.
It gave teachers the opportunity of learning about the company’s excellent school programmes which aim to support the teaching of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) in schools.
Subjects featured during the placement day included a look at the various roles of an engineer and the career paths which can be taken to get there; the future of energy and the ever- present issue of obtaining affordable, sustainable energy.
Delegates had a chance to see the control centre which is the beating heart behind the UK’s gas transmission network, and also had lunch with employees of the company who had joined through various routes. They left buzzing with curriculum ideas and fresh with knowledge around subject specialisms and qualifications necessary to enter the industry.
Julie O’Toole, Business Development Manager at Warwickshire Education Business Partnership said, “This was a fantastic opportunity for all teachers of science related subjects. It was great to see how much their knowledge had been broadened by what they saw and heard. This in turn will be transferred to learners.”
Richard Earp, Education and Skills Manager at National Grid added “We recognise the responsibility employers like us have to help teachers to illustrate and enhance the STEM curriculum. This was a great opportunity to share some of our work with them and we would like to do so again”