21 Jun 2024
On Friday 21st June, young people and staff from St Andrew’s Youth Club were invited to mark International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) at Boeing’s Westminster office.
The group of young people aged 9-12 relished the chance to learn more about the aerospace industry and the important role of science, technology, engineering and math’s (STEM) subjects.
The young people enjoyed sandwiches and sweet treats, while they heard from Lisa Hale, Boeing’s Apprentice Manager, on the skills and attributes needed to become a Boeing Apprentice.
We were delighted that Maria Laine, president of Boeing in the UK, Ireland and the Nordic region, was there to welcome and speak to us. With over three decades of global experience at Boeing, Maria was the perfect person to inspire young people. There were lots of insightful questions about aerospace asked by our talented young people.
Next, the young people’s design skills and ingenuity were put to the test, as they were challenged to design their own paper plane. They excitedly got to work, with many adapting the guide design for improved aerodynamics! Then it was time to see whose plane would go the distance, as they tested their planes in the large reception space.
Each young person received a gift bag filled with lots of Boeing goodies, which they excitedly showed the other children back at the Club! We hope this is the first of many visits.
We are grateful to Boeing, for offering this unique opportunity for young people to visit one of our business neighbors and valued corporate partner. One girl commented that she ‘walks past this building every day and I’ve always wanted to go inside’ – demonstrating the importance of giving local children the chance to visit and learn about new industries. Thank you Boeing you may just have inspired the next generation of pilots or engineers!
Boeing are a key corporate supporter of St Andrew’s and are currently helping to fund our Youth Development Programme, to give employment and training options to young people at the Club.