Bridge to the Future: Year 10 Engineers Take on AECOM
Our Year 10 work experience students recently traded the classroom for the boardroom, spending an inspiring day at the offices of the world-renowned engineering firm, AECOM. It was a fantastic opportunity for our aspiring engineers to see exactly what life in the industry looks like.
Inside the Industry
The day kicked off with a "meet and greet" featuring a wide range of professionals. From project managers and bridge surveyors to communications experts and lead engineers, students got a 360-degree view of the business.
Our students didn’t hold back with their questions, digging into the details that matter:
- Career pathways and promotional opportunities.
- Industry working conditions.
- The all-important topic of starting salaries and long-term pay.
The Ultimate Engineering Challenge
After a delicious lunch provided by the AECOM team, it was time for the students to put their skills to the test with a high-stakes practical project. The mission? Build a three-part bridge that could successfully guide a rolling ball from top to bottom.
There was a catch, though! The group was split into three teams, each working on a separate section of the bridge in isolation. To succeed, they had to rely on:
- Limited Communication: Teams could only send one representative at a time to consult with other groups.
- Precision Planning: Ensuring their section would align perfectly with the others without ever seeing the full picture.
- Teamwork: Coordinating instructions to ensure a seamless transition between parts.
A Grand Success
When the three sections were finally brought together for the "Big Test," the tension was high. However, thanks to some brilliant communication and engineering logic, the bridge held firm and the ball rolled smoothly to the bottom!
A Huge Thank You
Oulton would like to extend a massive thank you to AECOM for hosting such an insightful and hands-on session. Our students returned not just with full stomachs, but with a much clearer vision of their future careers in engineering.
