A Keighley College student is having her work published in an official booklet promoting women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Masie Eccles from East Morton recently visited the Hitachi Rail site as part of International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The County Durham plant welcomed females from schools across the north to learn about roles including engineering and marketing. The students heard from workers who spoke about routes into careers and job responsibilities.

The visit was organised through Bradford Council’s Careers Technical Education (CTE) partnership and Industrial Centre of Excellence (ICE) scheme, who worked with Community Rail Lancashire and Bishop Line Community Rail as part of their ‘Women in STEM’ project. The initiative aims to educate young women about typically male-dominated career opportunities related to STEM.

Following the event, Masie submitted inspiring poem ‘You’ll see’ which celebrates powerful women. Her poem has been selected to feature in the ‘Women in STEM booklet 2020’ published by Community Rail Lancashire, engaging young women from diverse backgrounds to produce inspiring writing to express their views.

The booklet was launched at the ‘Women in STEM Celebration’ event hosted by Community Rail Lancashire at the Railway Museum in York. The event raised awareness of STEM career pathways for women and highlighted how the rail and community rail industries are working passionately towards creating a more inclusive place to work.

Masie’s tutor, Lizzie Sagar at Keighley College, said: “We were over the moon to hear that Masie’s poem had been selected for this extraordinary booklet. Her writing underpins women’s determination to achieve their full potential. At Keighley College, we’re dedicated to providing our students with the skills and experience needed to establish careers in STEM.”

Students from Keighley College have achieved six manufacturing industry accolades as part of the Milner Awards.

Sponsored by Keighley Training Consortium, the annual awards recognise the achievements of first year apprentices on the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) programme at the college.

Three apprentices have been selected to receive the main awards: Outstanding Apprentice, Academic Achievement and Skills Achievement, and have been given a cash prize in recognition of their accomplishments. Three additional students have received special recognition awards. 

William Jowitt, director of Keighley Training Consortium and member of the supervisory board of the AME, said: “Apprentices are one of the key engines of economic growth; each year we see ambitious learners strive for excellence through the AME programme. 

“The collaborative approach we’ve seen among apprentices and local employers has been remarkable, clearly demonstrating the value of apprenticeships. These winners, who studied the programme in 2019, have shown exceptional skill development and admirable dedication.”

This year’s Milner Awards took place at Keighley College. Attending the ceremony were the apprenticeship employers, including Produmax and CarnaudMetalbox Engineering and winners Toby Woodhead, Ben Bott, Max Weatherhead, Gabby Lloyd and Suraj Mistry.

Ronnie Magee, Deputy Head of Technology at Keighley College, commented: “We’re extremely proud of our apprentices’ achievements. They’ve gained valuable experience while demonstrating impressive commitment to learning and development. These awards are an amazing opportunity to show how important working together with local employers is for the community.”

The yearly awards were formed in 2015 as the AME programme launched at college. The AME board is part of a district-wide initiative in partnership with the local council and the Careers and Technical Education partnership. The programme is designed to inspire young people to work within the industry, enabling them to obtain the skills needed for employment.

Ben Bott, who won the Outstanding Apprentice Award, added: “I feel incredibly proud to receive such a prestigious award. My mechanical engineering apprenticeship at Produmax has been a pivotal point in my learning and development, equipping me with the technical skills needed to flourish in my career. I have spent the prize money on a new computer in order to complete my college work.”

Toby Woodhead, Keighley College student who works as an apprentice at CarnaudMetalbox, added: “It’s an honour to receive the Practical Workshop Skills Award. I was recognised for the hands-on work I did in the college workshop, such as milling and assembly jobs, as well as the machine building I do as part of my apprenticeship.”