Airbus STEM event to encourage girls into engineering

Airbus’ wing assembly plant played host to an all-female group of visitors from local schools and colleges as part of a joint STEM event with Young Enterprise to get more women into engineering careers.

The event coincided with International Women in Engineering Day on 23^rd June which celebrates the achievements of women engineers while also focussing on encouraging women to pursue engineering and technical careers.

Around 40 students, all of whom are working towards their GCSEs, were given a tour of the factory and met some inspirational speakers who have forged successful careers in Airbus.

They also participated in a mock job interview, personality test and an exercise to plan their future lifestyle and work out what kind of salary they’d need to earn to achieve it.

Airbus Education Partnership Manager Helen Lloyd-Kerfoot said:

Engineering has been seen as a male-dominated career field, but it’s certainly not just for men. There are many, hugely successful women in engineering, and we’ve heard some of them speak today.

This event aimed to give the girls a snapshot of what their future careers could look like, and they were very excited to see the wing manufacturing process in action. Hopefully it has inspired them to consider careers in aerospace and engineering.

Young Enterprise Manager for North Wales, Selwyn Griffith said:

Visits like these help students make informed choices about their next career steps and empowers them to take ownership of their life choices.  They’ve really enjoyed their day at Airbus.

Participating schools were: Elfed High School, Buckley; Glan Clwyd High School, St Asaph; Ysgol Bryn Alyn, Wrexham and Warrington University Technical College.