Earlier this month, our Ground Improvement Director, Claire Garrett, visited Victoria Park Infant School in Stretford, Manchester, following the school’s invitation for STEM professionals to share their expertise during Science Week.
The school had reached out to parents working in STEM roles, and as Claire’s son attends the school, she was delighted to get involved and share her knowledge.
Claire led an engaging session for the Year 2 pupils, where she explained what an engineer does, discussed the types of ground that are best for construction, and demonstrated how techniques like piling and ground improvement can address poor ground conditions.
She also shared a photo of a nearby school where we had installed vibro stone columns to support its foundations.
The children were full of curiosity and asked plenty of thoughtful questions. We hope the session sparked an interest in engineering and may even inspire some of them to pursue it as a career in the future.
At Van Elle, we are committed to engaging with local schools and colleges as part of our community outreach. Through these sessions, we aim to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals by sparking curiosity and showcasing exciting opportunities in ground engineering and construction, encouraging young minds to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) and consider future careers.
Claire Garrett, said: “It was a pleasure to visit Victoria Park Infant School and see how eager the children were to learn about engineering! They had so many great questions, and I loved seeing their curiosity in action. It was inspiring to think that this could be the first step in some of them considering a career in STEM. I’m really proud to be part of a company that values community engagement and encourages the next generation of engineers!”
Read more about how we have been supporting community activities across the UK here.