Women in STEM Event Inspires Local Students at Tamar Bridge

200 students visit for Women in STEM event celebrating International Women in Engineering Day

Around 200 young women from schools and colleges across Plymouth and Cornwall got a rare chance to go underneath the Tamar Bridge and explore the world of engineering as part of this year’s Women in STEM event.

Held at the Bridging the Tamar Visitor and Learning Centre and hosted by Tamar Crossings in partnership with YMCA Plymouth, the event marked International Women in Engineering Day, which is celebrated globally each June.

“Usually when people think about a mechanic, they think about a man”

Students from Plymstock School, Saltash Community School, Sir John Hunt Community Sports College, All Saints Academy, Marine Academy Plymouth and Ivybridge College attended the event to meet female engineers and try out hands-on STEM activities.

Kate Babbage from Sir John Hunt Community Sports College said,

“Usually when people think about a mechanic, they think about a man. I think it is very important that women learn about different careers in engineering and are encouraged to try jobs which have traditionally been done by men.”

Millie Gale from Plymstock School agreed,

“Some women think that they can’t do engineering – this event has encouraged us to think about careers in engineering and other STEM subjects.”

From wiring plugs to building bridges

The students took part in a range of activities, including wiring plugs, building model bridges and learning about plumbing and water pressure. They also had a chance to walk onto and underneath the Tamar Bridge, while talking to women working in the field.

Lily Mills, another student from Sir John Hunt, said,

“I came here to see behind the scenes of the Tamar Bridge and find out how it was built, and all the different jobs that are needed to maintain it. It was great to have the opportunity to go underneath the bridge, and to talk to female engineers from different companies and organisations about the work they do.”

STEM businesses and organisations involved in the day included Tamar Crossings, Focus Training, Babcock and Aecom.

Sarah Newberry from YMCA Plymouth explained the importance of the event:

“There is a strong focus from the Government right now on encouraging young women to pursue careers in STEM and to consider the wide variety of roles available in engineering.
Women in STEM is about giving them the opportunity to explore different career paths, get hands-on experience, and hear first-hand from female engineers who are already working in these industries.”

Breaking stereotypes and inspiring futures

The Bridging the Tamar Visitor and Learning Centre has worked with YMCA Plymouth for three years to deliver this event.

Jane Cooper, Visitor Experience Manager for the centre, said,

“Tamar Crossings is all about STEM. A huge amount of engineering and mathematics goes on every day to make sure that traffic moves safely over the Tamar Bridge and the ferries keep operating across the river.
We know that women haven’t been as much involved in the world of STEM careers as men have been. We want to show our local young women just how many opportunities there are, and hopefully encourage some of them to come and work at Tamar Crossings one day to support these really important structures that are part of our everyday lives.”

For mechanical engineer Helen Horner, who works for Babcock International, the day was about encouraging the next generation:

“We know that female engineers bring a different perspective to a team. At Babcock we are working hard to encourage more women into this field of work.”

Bev Urbans, an Associate with global engineering company Aecom, added:

“When I started my career a number of years ago, there weren’t that many female engineers. This is now changing, with a lot more female engineers in senior roles.
My message to young women is that if you enjoy STEM subjects and you want to do engineering, you should just go for what you enjoy. And there’s really no limit to what you can achieve.”

Thinking differently about science

Not every student has made up their mind about the future, but many left inspired.

Saltash Community School Year 10 student Emily Dingle said,

“It has been very interesting to see the different skills that are required to do the different jobs, and it has definitely made me think.”

Year 10 Plymstock School student Brooke Eady, who hopes to become a marine biologist, added,

“I am looking at this option as it will enable me to do something I love at the same time as helping to protect the seas because they’re not looking too good at this point in time.
This event offers a wide picture of the different careers that are available with STEM subjects and shows that science isn’t just what you do in the classroom.”

YMCA Plymouth has been supporting young people for over 150 years, and says helping them find their path continues to be a top priority. As Sarah Newberry put it,

“They get to have really meaningful encounters with employers and, by listening to female entrepreneurs explaining about their journeys, discover the many different careers engineering will lead them into.”