When you hear the name “Bentley” what do you think of? If you’re like most people, me included, “young” is not the fist word to spring to mind. Sure, Bentley is less stodgy than their used-to-be sibling Rolls Royce, but they’re still not the kind of company you’re going to associate with hanging out with the cool kids.
Bentley is aiming to change that, and they’re starting with young engineers.
OK, here’s the deal, half of it is one of those corporate feel good things, they’re aiming to inspire school pupils\’ and teachers\’ interest in science, math and engineering by having a team of Bentley Motors\’ Graduates attend the Rockingham Festival, an event organized by the Learning Grid (an education organization). And the other half, naturally, is to hook’em young.
This is the second year running a team of Bentley Motors\’ Graduates will attend the event that runs from 30th June to 2nd July. At the Rockingham Festival Bentley Motors will display some of their latest tech as well as hands-on demonstrations of the value and fun of engineering.
The Learning Grid’s angle is to fire up young people aged seven years and upwards in science and engineering by offering hands-on experience. And they figure that teaming with Bentley at the annual event in Northamptonshire (it’s the English Rockingham, not the NASCAR one) is just the way to do it. And it seems to be working. Last year over 2400 children attended from 64 schools turned out.
\”We have made the activities as much fun as possible as we want to make them view engineering as \’cool\’. Our stand will offer plenty of hands-on opportunities to explore and we are confident the children will enjoy it and want to learn more,\” Rhys Morgan, team leader for the Bentley graduates said.
A variety of special activities and displays at Rockingham to encourage young people to become motivated by engineering will be shown by a team of six Bentley graduate trainees. The Bentley show stand will feature the latest models – Azure and Continental GTC, as well as interactive games, a downhill racer and the Bentley \”Greenpower\” car that was dreamed up by the Company\’s apprentices. They’ll even have remote controlled Bentley models to promote thinking about materials that absorb impacts.
\”In the UK, take up of science based subjects is in the decline, threatening the future availability of scientists and engineers. By showing the pupils and, as importantly, their teachers some practical, real world applications and products, under the banner of a great Brand, we hope to help arrest that decline,\” Cameron Paterson, Engineering Project Leader for Bentley Motors added.
Here’s Bentley’s Presser:
Bentley Motors inspires young engineers
For the second year running a team of Bentley Motors\’ Graduates will attend the Rockingham Festival, an event organised by the Learning Grid that aims to inspire school pupils\’ and teachers\’ interest in science, maths and engineering.
Crewe, Tuesday 30th June 2009-.. For the second year running a team of Bentley Motors\’ Graduates will attend the Rockingham Festival, an event organised by the Learning Grid that aims to inspire school pupils\’ and teachers\’ interest in science, maths and engineering. The Festival runs from 30th June to 2nd July during which Bentley Motors will display some of their latest technical innovations as well as hands-on examples which demonstrate the value and fun of engineering.
The Learning Grid is a national, government and industry-supported organisation that seeks to enthuse young people aged seven years and upwards in science and engineering by offering hands-on experience. This annual event at Rockingham Motor Speedway in Northamptonshire showcases a wide spectrum of industry-led engineering, science, maths, design and technology activities that are open for visiting school parties. In 2008 over 2400 children attended from 64 schools.
The team of six Bentley graduate trainees will take a variety of special activities and displays to Rockingham to encourage young people to become motivated by engineering. Alongside Bentley\’s latest models – Azure and Continental GTC, the Bentley stand will feature some interactive games and displays, as well as a downhill racer and the Bentley \”Greenpower\” car that was created by some of the Company\’s apprentices. One activity will use remote control Bentley models to encourage children to think about materials that absorb impact on collision; Another activity will see teams competing against each other to position cars parts in order of build.
Rhys Morgan, team leader for the Bentley graduates said \”We have made the activities as much fun as possible as we want to make them view engineering as \’cool\’. Our stand will offer plenty of hands-on opportunities to explore and we are confident the children will enjoy it and want to learn more.\” Cameron Paterson, Engineering Project Leader for Bentley Motors added, \”In the UK, take up of science based subjects is in the decline, threatening the future availability of scientists and engineers. By showing the pupils and, as importantly, their teachers some practical, real world applications and products, under the banner of a great Brand, we hope to help arrest that decline\”
Christine Gaskell Member of the Board for Personnel at Bentley Motors said \”Inspiring young people to engage with engineering is essential for us and the rest of industry. By doing events such as Rockingham we hope that children and teachers will view engineering – and the motor industry – as a great place to work. Longer term it will ensure the UK has the best young designers and engineers who will shape the Bentley cars of the future.\”
Photo from Flickr user >WouteR<
