British Rolling Stock company Eversholt Rail held its first Primary Engineer showcase in Huddersfield on Friday 24 April.

Founded in 2005, the Primary Engineer is an educational scheme, which promotes, engages and encourages primary and secondary school students and teachers to learn about and participate in the ever-changing world of industry, engineering and technology.

Those that take part develop the skills for a foundation to grow and progress in the fields of engineering, technology and science, which will help create the next generation of future professional engineers.

The showcase in Huddersfield was attended by students from eight schools across the town, they took part in trails of their own model trains, which not only showed the skills they had picked up on the Primary Engineer programme, it also displayed their own ingenuity and teamwork to create a working model that could one day be the basis of future greener rail travel.

Professional engineers from Northern trains and TransPennine Express actively assisted the schools in developing, designing, and creating their model projects.

They also shared their own experiences of working in the rail engineering industry, in addition to discussing the opportunities they have been given.

The engineers also gave advice outlining the practicable abilities of rolling stock engineering on the national rail network today, giving first rate hands on experience to the schools as they built their models.

 “I am really proud that Eversholt Rail has been able to sponsor Primary Engineer and work with schools near Huddersfield. All of us at Eversholt Rail really enjoyed working on the train build project, also having the chance to talk to school children about a career in Engineering was very rewarding.“

Paul Sutherland, Client Services Director at Eversholt Rail

“I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to support teachers and children in Huddersfield and to share my passion and excitement for engineering.  To attend the celebration event and see the children successfully achieve their builds and their delight in making each train move was very rewarding.  The Primary Engineer programme has been an invaluable link in opening children’s eyes to the possibilities of engineering as a future career.”

Andy Foster, Senior Fleet Manager at Eversholt Rail

The Primary Engineer has many programmes that showcase what the world of engineering has to offer. Any schools that want to participate in one or more of the programmes will be ensured that industry professionals will be on hand to enhance teachers’ and pupils’ projects and help to deliver engaging content in the classrooms.

This offers great opportunities to students as they grow and decide upon which profession they would like to choose when they leave school, and should any decide to go into engineering, there will be a wide variety of opportunities and careers in the profession once they graduate.

Information on the programs and how to get your school involved can be found at Primary Engineer: STEM resources.

“When running the STEM club, we got to the session in which we had constructed the frame and wired up the circuits. The trains moved for the first time and every single pupil was SO excited that something they had made could move in such a way! The showcase event was also a huge highlight- such a positive and well-organised experience.”

Hazel Haigh, St John’s Primary Academy

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