Hundreds of South Yorkshire pupils celebrate Skills Street
Pupils from Abourthorne primary school designing robots in Gripple’s advanced manufacturing zone
Hundreds of South Yorkshire pupils celebrate Skills Street opening
Hundreds of pupils were among the first to experience our exciting new venue, with our first group educational visits taking place before May half-term. Doors have officially opened for the first time to schools from across the region and we have now welcomed over 600 school aged visitors across an initial week of skills activity.
Amongst their highlights was the newly launched ‘FlyMe @ Skills Street’ aviation experience, which offers students a full airport simulation - from check-in to boarding a real Boeing 737 fuselage and flying an industry-standard simulator. Visitors can also explore historic Rolls-Royce and Vulcan aircraft engines and learn about careers in aviation, engineering, travel, and tourism.
John Barber from The Work-wise Foundation, one of our key partners said: “We were thrilled to welcome 329 pupils to Skills Street on our first day.”
“It was great to see them experience our different zones and enjoy a whole range of industry experiences designed to inspire and educate students them about future careers and the skills needed.”
Speaking on behalf of the first group of Year 4 visitors, Declan, class teacher from Thurcroft Primary School in Rotherham was eager to highlight the value of their visit – “Our visit to Skills Street was wonderful. There was a variety of different workshops, all engaging and offering different aspects that allowed children to be fully immersed in the experience”.
Pupils interacted a wide range of sector-themed zones developed in partnership with leading organisations, including:
Health & Social Work with the NHS and Rotherham Council – showcasing over 380 career pathways.
Construction with Esh Group - engaging with all aspects of the construction industry.
Advanced Manufacturing with Gripple – focusing on robotics and automation.
Creativity and Culture with Rotherham Children’s Capital of Culture – exploring the roles in the creative and cultural sector.
Each 45-minute session was tailored to key stages and curriculum goals, ensuring a meaningful and engaging visit for every student.
James Beighton, Development Lead, said: “We’ve created a space where students can explore real-world careers in a fun and interactive way, and to witness that in action today was simply wonderful.
“We’ve worked hard to create a fun, interactive environment to ignite interest and inspire young people to think about the different skills needed, whether it’s flying a plane, designing a building, programming and operating a robot, there’s something here for everyone.”
Book your school’s visit today and be part of the future of learning. Head to our Skills Street Education page here for more details - INDUSTRIES THAT WORK FOR EDUCATORS.