Engineer Mentors Back In Classroom
Yorkshire school-leavers are benefiting from the wisdom and experience of local engineers.
A trio of engineers from Skipton-based Paul Waite Associates are mentoring teenagers at nearby South Craven School and helping them to make vital career choices.
The structural engineering consultancy, which specialises in commercial, leisure and residential projects, is taking part in a scheme funded by Aimhigher and facilitated by North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership (NYBEP), which acts as a link between business and schools
On their most recent visit to the school, managing director Paul Waite and colleagues Paul McDonald and Tim Davis worked with students to identify the aims and aspirations of South Craven School sixth-formers Chris Austin and Kayleigh Ideson to highlight the options open to them after they leave school.
The head of South Craven School Sixth Form Dominic Kelly said: “The final year of school is a crucial time for pupils, who will have to make decisions which will have far-reaching consequences.
The advice and support of mentors from the local business community – like Paul and his team – is invaluable in providing guidance and a ‘real-world’ view of the options available.
Claire Robinson, development and operations manager at NYBEP, said: “Engaging directly with schools and pupils is a powerful tool in demonstrating the impact education has within the workplace. Mentors from the business world are becoming increasingly sought-after as schools’ and the government’s agendas become more heavily-focused on enterprise and ‘life-skills’.”
Paul Waite Associates also recently launched a programme calling on Yorkshire’s retired civil and structural engineers to pass on their knowledge and expertise to guide and mentor the next generation.
The firm is working with Otley-based recruitment company LCA Resourcing to select candidates to help guide its employees through their exams to become chartered engineers.
