NEWS 10 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2025 www.hpmag.co.uk The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is continuing its partnership with Primary Engineer, building on a shared goal of expanding engineering education throughout the UK. This ongoing collaboration focuses on introducing young students to the world of engineering while providing teachers with the tools to effectively teach STEM subjects in their classrooms. This partnership directly supports IMechE’s Education & Skills objectives, creating a clear alignment between the two organisations in their commitment to improving engineering education. By working together, they aim to inspire, engage, and support a broad range of stakeholders, including students, teachers, and industry professionals, all while widening the pool of future engineers. The ultimate goal is to address the skills gap in the sector and encourage more young people to pursue careers in engineering. Primary Engineer has significantly expanded its reach over the past year, engaging over 117,000 students in the 2023-2024 academic year alone. This growth reflects the organisation’s efforts to bring engineering education to a wide variety of schools, from city centres to rural areas. By offering practical, handson engineering projects, Primary Engineer provides students with the chance to explore real-world applications of engineering concepts. The organisation has also trained over 2,000 teachers, ensuring that the delivery of engineering education is consistently high-quality and accessible. Industry involvement plays a central role in Primary Engineer’s approach. In the last academic year, 1,608 engineers and technology professionals volunteered to engage directly with students and teachers, offering valuable insights into the broad range of careers available in the engineering field. IMechE strongly supports this model, as it allows young people to see the practical relevance of engineering and gain a better understanding of the skills needed to succeed in the sector. The Leaders Award, one of Primary Engineer’s standout initiatives, encourages students to tackle real-world problems and develop engineering solutions. In 2023-2024, more than 75,000 students from across the UK participated in the competition, which provides an opportunity for students to receive recognition for their work. Each participant receives a certificate from an engineer, which not only acknowledges their effort but also reinforces the link between education and the professional world of engineering. Looking ahead, both IMechE and Primary Engineer are committed to continuing their work together to reach even more students across the UK. With a shared aim of addressing the engineering skills gap, the partnership is seen as a crucial way to equip the next generation with the knowledge and inspiration they need to pursue careers in engineering. Through this partnership, IMechE and Primary Engineer are helping to shape the future of engineering in the UK, ensuring that young people from all backgrounds are given the opportunity to explore the field and realise their potential as engineers. IMechE strengthens partnership with Primary Engineer to inspire the next generation of engineers On March 13, 2025, the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) returned for the third consecutive year to St George’s Park in Staffordshire, where it hosted the 2025 Pump Industry Awards presentation evening. Marking the 25th Anniversary of the prestigious awards, this year’s event was a resounding success, with a sold-out crowd of around 300 industry professionals gathering to celebrate excellence in pump manufacturing and distribution. The milestone anniversary saw a record number of submissions across the ten award categories, further highlighting the innovation and dedication within the sector. With entries reflecting the impressive breadth and diversity of the pump industry, the evening’s celebrations served as a powerful reminder of the value of in-person events, allowing professionals to reconnect, network, and honour achievements that are often hard to measure but essential to the sector’s ongoing success. Lee Tebbatt, Managing Director of Wilo UK and President of the BPMA, officially opened the evening with a warm welcome to the 2025 Awards Finalists. He emphasised their outstanding achievements, before turning to the BPMA’s work on noncompliant circulation pumps. Tebbatt also addressed the broader responsibility of the pump industry to address urgent global challenges, including water scarcity, energy shortages, and climate change—issues on which the sector’s innovations can have a profound impact. In keeping with the sporting theme that has characterised BPMA’s 25th Anniversary Awards recognise pump industry’s top innovators and winners
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=