Posted on / in Rail Project

Porterbrook & Primary Engineer support STEM in Warwickshire

Porterbrook and Primary Engineer to support STEM engagement for primary students in 2024.

Porterbrook is partnering again with not-for-profit Primary Engineer in 2023/2024 to support Warwickshire students to engage with engineering.

Throughout the academic year, 11 schools are teamed up with Porterbrook’s engineering professionals who support the teachers through the programme as their pupils learn to build their own trains.

The Rail Programme is delivered across the UK through Primary Engineer, whose vision is to ensure all children and pupils achieve their full potential through engagement with engineering. This is the second year Porterbrook has funded the programme for Warwickshire schools after acquiring the Long Marston Rail Innovation centre in 2021.

On Wednesday 29th November 2023, teachers from the participating Warwickshire schools met with the Porterbrook team at the Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre for a training day ahead of the programme beginning early next year.

Nearly 800 pupils across 10 schools participated in the Rail Project in 2023, with 100% of teachers reporting an increase in their understanding of engineering and the diversity challenges in the field.

Porterbrook Chief Operating Officer Ben Ackroyd said, “Connecting with the community local to us at Long Marston is important and so we were proud to support nearly 800 students with STEM engagement last year. We’re looking forward to extending this into 2024 and helping to encourage a diverse future workforce with Primary Engineer.”

Andrew Norris, Head of Partnerships for Central & East England at Primary Engineer, said: “At Primary Engineer, we are passionate about introducing pupils to engineers who can demonstrate the amazing career opportunities in the Rail industry. We are thrilled to collaborate with Porterbrook again and eager to connect their inspiring engineers with more schools and students in Warwickshire!”