13 Nov 2024

Former Babcock apprentices reunite for National Engineering Day

This week a group of former Babcock apprentices revisited the iconic bridge they built back in 2011, at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, where they attended a statue unveiling to mark National Engineering Day.

A dozen engineering apprentices and technicians, then aged 17-20, under the project management of Joe Doogan, Babcock’s Director of Operations, Marine, took a complex and novel design and constructed a bridge that is now as much a landmark as the Grade 1 listed building it adjoins. The ‘S’-shaped bridge was gifted by Babcock to the Academy back in 2011, and fuses engineering, art and architecture to create an elegant walkway at the Academy.

As part of their visit the group also witnessed the unveiling of a new statue of Macclesfield-based engineer Alice Kan on the bridge to mark National Engineering Day. Alice, who played a pivotal role in the manufacture of the COVID-19 vaccine and is now working on vaccines for Ebola, was nominated as the Academy’s engineering role model through a public vote as part of their National Engineering Day celebrations. Her statute now stands on the bridge built by Babcock.

With the theme of role models in mind, the former apprentices, many of whom still work at Babcock, met with Alice and members of the Academy, including their CEO, Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, to see how the Sinuous Bridge has taken its place in the John Browne Garden, named after past president of the Academy, Lord Browne of Madingley FREng FRS.

National Engineering Day takes place today (13 November) and is organised by the Academy to make the UK’s engineers more visible and celebrate how they improve everyday lives and shape the world around us. This year the theme is role models and why role models are important to inspire the next generation.

Louise Atkinson, our Chief People Officer, attended the event and said: ““The theme of role models for this year’s National Engineering Day is such an important one, interlinked with culture and legacy. At Babcock, we have some amazing people that inspire me every day. Attracting great talent for businesses like ours is a challenge for many in the current climate, but once they join us, they tend to stay.

“The fact that this group of apprentices have stayed with Babcock and have built their careers here is testament to that. So today is a real celebration not just of role models, but the mentors that helped them and help make the world a better place for us all.”