Representatives from HETA (Humberside Engineering Training Association) and Reckitt have joined forces to work with students at schools across the Yorkshire and Humber region to develop the skills of communication, teamwork, leadership, resilience and problem-solving.

Helping to inspire the next generation of engineers in a recent visit to Withernsea High School, the team demonstrated the important role of communication and teamwork through a practical activity which saw groups of Year 8 students competing against each other to pass through a flexible hoop in the fastest time.

Through a process of trial and error, and with the support of their team mates, the students used their skills to discover the most time-efficient and effective way forward – with the winning team completing the challenge six-seconds ahead of their nearest competitors, and fifteen-seconds ahead of the sixth and final team.

HETA’s Freja Applegarth said: “As the School Engagement and Marketing Coordinator, it was incredibly rewarding to see the enthusiasm and engagement from the Year 8 students at Withernsea High School during our teamwork workshops.

“Building on last year's successful Humber STEM event at Craven Park, where 270 students from schools across the region took part in our first partnership activity with Reckitt, it was a pleasure to once again collaborate with them as one of our key employers.

“Working with Rich Monk [Technical and Compliance Training Manager at Reckitt] and his team, we delivered sessions focused on essential teamwork skills applicable across various career paths. Witnessing the students' active participation and positive feedback reiterates our commitment to valuable connections between education and industry.”

Viki Foster, Careers Leader at Withernsea High School, said: “It was great to see students developing a variety of skills throughout this experience and we would like to thank HETA and Reckitt for delivering this worthwhile and valuable session. A number of students became clear leaders, while others encouraged and supported their team mates. All participants really embraced the challenge and were clearly passionate about working as a team to compete against others.

“Our Careers Programme at Key Stage 3 [Years 7, 8 and 9] focuses on the development of skills, in line with the requirements of the Gatsby benchmarks – a national framework for careers education. This helps to prepare them for Key Stage 4 [Years 10 and 11] where the programme focusses more on destinations and job opportunities. Key Stage 3 is therefore the perfect time to help embed desirable employability and life skills which will help our students become well-rounded individuals as they progress to post-16 pathways and beyond.”

Reflecting on the support of businesses, Mrs Foster added: “Many students may be unaware that they have multinational companies, such as Reckitt, on their doorstep in Hull. Everyone is familiar with many of their global brands, and for students to be able to work with such a prestigious company is an opportunity that they value.

“This is the second time in the Spring term that Reckitt have supported our Careers Programme, the first being our Careers Evening and Futures Fair back in February. We value their support and are proud that many former students have found successful employment with them.”

Alongside the development of skills, the event also provided an opportunity for students to learn about apprenticeships and the wide variety of routes available into local and national employment.

“As apprenticeships are growing in prominence and popularity, it’s crucial that our students know about the options available to them and learn how they can be accessed. Working closely with organisations like HETA, we are able to show our students clear pathways into apprenticeships in a variety of contexts.”

Established in 1967 by a group of local companies who knew it was essential to bridge the gap between industry and education, HETA is a not-for-profit charity ‘Group Training Association’ which delivers apprenticeships and both standard and bespoke upskill training courses.

HETA continues to provides specialist training for young people who are looking to join the world of engineering through an apprenticeship programme. They work with an extensive list of companies, from sole traders to multinationals, many of which are household names in sectors including Manufacturing, Food and Drink, Engineering and Utilities, Packaging, Pharmaceuticals, and Gas and Oil.

A spokeswoman for HETA said: “A HETA apprenticeship is like no other. It’s real work from day one - real experience, real wages, and first-class training from engineers who are experts in their fields. Offering hands-on training and links to over 400 companies within the region, an apprenticeship with HETA is the best route into a career in engineering. We are confident that not only will our learners receive the best engineering training but will also develop life skills that will give them every success in the future.”

For further information about HETA, please visit www.heta.co.uk 

ABOVE: HETA’s School Engagement and Marketing Coordinator, Freja Applegarth, looks on as students work their way through the problem-solving and teamworking challenge. 

ABOVE: A number of Withernsea High School students have gone on to secure successful employment at Reckitt. Pictured, left to right, are former students Georgia Peskey and Dr Sammi Iveson who recently returned to the school to represent the company at a Careers Evening and Futures Fair.