BHR Group Unites With Primary School To Encourage Next Generation Of Engineers

In November last year BHR Group, global consultants in innovative fluid engineering, welcomed two groups of Year 5 and Year 6 Cedars Primary School pupils to Cranfield, Bedfordshire. Over two days, 80 pupils plus teaching staff were given insights into the exciting world of fluid engineering and first hand access to BHR Group laboratory facilities for demonstrations and experiments.

The children learned about fluid vortices, scaled physical modelling of engineering structures and conducted buoyancy experiments in the laboratory. The day ended with the announcement of a competition to design a water feature for the BHR Group offices where the children were encouraged to think about what they had learnt during their visit.

Last week saw the award of Certificates and Prizes to Years 5 and 6 and the announcement of the overall winner whose design will be constructed at the entrance to the BHR Group offices. The overall winner of the Water Feature was Year 5 student Dhrew Chudasama whose design included a globe held between two hands (made of recycled glass), suspended in place by water jets to represent BHR Group’s involvement with “the provision of water across the world and in particular the third world and developing countries”.

BHR Group Strategy Director Dr. Yolande Herbath commented on why this alliance is of such importance, “In December last year, EngineeringUK published a report highlighting the emerging skills crisis within engineering. The report claimed that engineering companies will have 2.74 million job openings from 2010 to 2020, 1.86 million of which will require engineering skills. Even during the current economic climate BHR Group has recruited ten graduate and post-graduate engineers over the past 12 months and we are still looking to recruit another four positions. We have found it difficult to recruit high calibre engineers from within the UK workforce and feedback from other companies with whom we work all seem to be encountering the same problems.

It is crucial that if UK industry is to ensure the talent pipeline is ready to meet future demand, industry works together with local schools to encourage and promote the profession amongst our youngest potential recruits.

It has been an absolute pleasure for us here at BHR Group to go through the designs submitted by the children from Cedars Primary. The water features ranged from the fantastical to the pragmatic and a lot of thought had gone into the functionality and theme of their designs. The most startling observation was the insight the children had into renewable technology, with everything from recycled grey water, solar panels and wetland areas. Our children are talented and switched-on to what is happening around them and BHR Group will continue to work with Cedars Primary to nurture our next generation of engineers and scientists.”

Mr. Luikinga, one of the teachers involved in the project was equally enthusiastic about the partnership between Cedars Primary School and BHR Group. “Our visit to BHR Group and the resulting design challenge has been one of the highlights of the year for the children in years 5 and 6. Not only did the children learn an enormous amount about the life and work of scientists, they also came back from their visit with a very positive view of scientists and engineers. They could not wait to get started on the design challenge and it was great to see them apply their knowledge and skills on a real project. We are already looking forward to next year’s visit!”

BHR Group awarded a shield to Cedars Primary School Headmistress, Mrs Monday, and handed over a cheque for £200 to the Science Department. BHR Group and Cedars Primary would also like to thank Deardon Trophies in Newport Pagnell for providing the engraving free of charge and supporting the local venture.