Tutors from Foundry Training Services Ltd were delighted to be able to support the WMG Academy for Young Engineers in Solihull during the recent National Apprenticeship week with some hands-on activities focussed around casting.
The school, which is part of the WMG Academy Trust, aims to encourage young people, from the ages of 14 to 18, to study science, technology, engineering and maths and to support them to go on to apprenticeships, to work or to further study at university.
The tutors, Chris Allott and Eddie Lindsay, worked with Year 10 students showcasing casting as a route to manufacture using a Foundry Kit supplied by the Cast Metals Federation, giving the team the opportunity to ignite the passion with the year 10 students. The kit includes a small table top electric melting furnace and a non-toxic low melting point alloy, as well as the necessary safety equipment.
Students were able to ‘have a go’ at moulding in sand to make a small trinket box or, using small squares of MDF board, sandwiched and clamped together to simulate gravity die casting, to make a small spanner that they were then able to finish (fettle) and take away.
Mr R Archer, Business Engagement and Student Destinations Manager for WMG said, “Thank you for Foundry Training Service’s support at the WMG Academy Solihull Careers Fair as part of our National Apprenticeship Week 2022 celebrations. This was the biggest event of the academic year and it was amazing that over 300 students had the chance to speak with Chris and Eddie. After a period of lockdown and blended learning during the pandemic, it was a refreshing change for our students to engage with professionals and have a meaningful experience.
“Today was absolutely buzzing with excitement and the Foundry Training Services have clearly made an impact. Chris and Eddie went above and beyond, sharing their enthusiasm and skills with our younger students to get them seriously thinking about the foundry sector. This was an incredible day and would only be this successful with the support from companies such as Foundry Training Services. I hope that we can continue to work together”.
