Inspiring the next generation of water industry specialists

Ben Harrison, Programme Manager on Morrison Water Services’ Thames Water Smart Metering contract, recently attended Beecroft Garden Primary School in Lewisham as part of the Building Future London project, an initiative showing children the opportunities available to them in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

We asked Ben a few questions to find out how he got on.

Tell us about your visit to Beecroft Garden Primary School.

“The session involved explaining my role and some of the work Morrison Water Services is carrying out, to children aged 9-11. I wanted to inspire the children and make them aware of an industry which they may not be familiar with.”

What did your visit involve?

“I held an interactive presentation. It was focused on our industry and how we are making it more diverse and inclusive. It’s important for children to see there are roles and opportunities for people from different ethnicities and backgrounds in our industry.

“We also discussed the environment and what Morrison Water Services is doing to have a positive impact. The climate crisis is a very real concern for children and it was great to highlight our green credentials and how protecting the environment is at the heart of what we do.

“To bring my role to life I also brought in some of my personal protective equipment (PPE) and some smart water meters which really fascinated the children.”

How did it go?

“It went really well. The children were engaged and kept asking questions throughout. As a result, we overran by an hour!

“The teachers were pleased with how interactive the session was and commented on how interested the children were.

“At the end the teachers asked the children if they had learnt something new to which there was a unanimous yes.”

How do you feel these sessions impact students?

“Building Future London is a project showing children the opportunities available to them.

“It’s a chance to challenge stereotypes and show that representation is encouraged and celebrated.

“Making a lasting impression on children is crucial. I hope that some of the children I’ve spoken to will remember their experience and feel inspired to pursue careers in our industry when they get older.”

 

Building Future London is a primary outreach project commissioned by the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) London Infrastructure Group (LIG) and Workforce Integration Network (WIN).

The aim is to excite, engage and spark the imagination of young Londoners in the wide range of jobs and pathways available in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank Ben for volunteering his time to such an important cause.

 

M Group Services is committed to supporting and educating the next generation. We currently have 122 registered STEM Ambassadors and we take pride in our people helping the next generation to develop their knowledge and understanding of what we do.

Our aim is to inspire young people to pursue careers in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through interactions with our teams both in the classroom and on site.

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