Exciting Day at the George Spencer Academy Trust Careers Fair!

During July our Team Leader for the North, John Birks, had the amazing opportunity to represent the rail freight industry at a recent careers event hosted by the George Spencer Academy Trust in Stapleford, Nottingham.

The school aimed to showcase a variety of career paths to inspire students, with attendees ranging from firefighters and computer designers to beauticians and karate instructors. As the first railway worker to attend, John was thrilled to shed light on the fascinating world of rail freight beyond passenger trains.

Throughout the day, students from years 1-6 visited in 20-minute intervals, exploring different careers. To capture their interest, John showcased videos of trains at work, shared photos of driving cabs, engine layouts, and various wagons to highlight the diverse cargo trains can carry. Personal photos added a unique touch, including a shot of John beside an engine trackside, to demonstrate the true scale of these machines.

For the younger kids, John took along PPE items like hard hats, gloves, hi-vis vests, and safety glasses to handle and try on. The highlight of John's stand was a 2-metre stretch of railway modelling track, featuring a working class 66 locomotive, complete with lights and sound, and a 4mm scale horse to illustrate the size difference between the machine and the horse. John was delighted to be asked to attend such a rewarding experience to inspire the next generation with the possibilities in rail freight!