National Manufacturing Day in September provided an opportunity for students interested in a career in engineering to visit two Lincolnshire manufacturers.

The Year 10 and 11 students, from Haven High Academy in Boston and Lincoln University Technical College, visited drainage engineers Mastenbroek near Boston and Guttridge, a bulk materials handling equipment manufacturer in Pinchbeck near Spalding.

The visits gave the students and their teachers the opportunity to speak directly to people working in engineering and to see what an engineering business looks like from the inside.

They also helped the students to appreciate the different job roles and opportunities that exist in the engineering sector.

At Mastenbroek the students saw the manufacture of a trencher from start to finish, including design, manufacturing parts, hydraulic systems and pressures, electronic systems and assembly.

They were able to link hydraulic pressures, design elements and electronics to what they learn at school, and so they gained an understanding of how their schools studies relate to the various job roles on site.

At Guttridge the students saw practical demonstrations including a showcase of the skills and craftsmanship of The Friends of Chain Bridge Forge.

They also had meaningful encounters with employers and employees in the engineering sector and gained an improved awareness of the vocational, apprenticeship and higher education routes into the different job roles.

One student commented: “Walking around the factory was good – I really liked how they laid out the event.”

A spokesperson from Mastenbroek said: “The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and engaging, leading to conversations with learners about apprenticeship and work experience opportunities.”