Rockwell Automation recently hosted the launch of a collaboration with Primary Engineer, a not-for-profit organisation that provides engineering skills programmes for schools throughout the UK (www.primaryengineer.com).

Bringing together other leading local and national industrial organisations — including Stratus Technologies, Routeco, Gambica and Cadence Innovation Marketing — the project is set to fund a minimum of 10 local primary schools through Primary Engineer programmes in the current academic year.

The launch event brought together representatives of several of the organisations, schools and engineers involved in the project to hear from Primary Engineer UK director Chris Rochester, who explained its mission to
develop engineering skills in the classroom.

He said: “We are delighted to be working closely with Rockwell Automation — here in Milton Keynes — and several other companies that share its commitment to promoting engineering skills development from a young age.

“The way Primary Engineer programmes work is to support teachers by providing training that will allow them to deliver our curriculum-aligned projects — and bring in professional engineers to offer practical expertise and professional examples of how skills transfer from the classroom to the working world.”

Zoe Nolan, cabinet member for Children and Families at Milton Keynes Council, said: “I was excited to learn more about how Primary Engineer would work alongside our teachers and bring engineers into the classroom.

"This is exactly the sort of help we are looking for in our schools, so we all better understand the engineering of today. My thanks to Rockwell Automation, their partners and others who are sponsoring the programme.

Their timing could not be better, as we prepare for our STEM University in Milton Keynes — MK:U.”

Cadence Innovation Marketing’s managing director, Tom Spencer, added: “The initiative is open for local and national industrial organisations to join by sponsoring a school or by supporting their engineers to offer a small amount of time to help inspire children at a school near them.

"Resolving the growing skills shortfall is the responsibility of all UK industry, and together — through initiatives such as this — we can all play a part.”