posted by Lesley Watson, Business Liaison Officer, Schools & Learning
On 19 January 2016 two fantastic volunteers from BEAR Scotland visited the P4 classes at Warddykes Primary School in Arbroath during their World of Work week. The visit introduced the children to new career paths and industries that they will be able to consider in the future, as well as informing them of how these industries impact their daily lives.
Steve, a gritter driver, enthralled the children with a tour of his 35 ton (when full) vehicle information about the distance he covers and hours he works. The children asked very insightful questions and learned not only how the gritter works and how it makes the roads safe but also what is required to work in the field and the conditions Steve and his fellow drivers work in. Several of the children commented that they might like to be a gritter driver when they grew up, a career path they had never previously considered. The children are currently competing to come up with a name for the gritter, and BEAR will announce the winner in the next several weeks. The winning name will be put on the gritter and the child will have the opportunity to have their photo taken with it.
Alan, a road sign designer and engineer also visited the P4 class and taught them about the types of signs that are used on the road, how they are designed and made effective and why they are used. The children did stunningly well on their warning sign quiz and quickly identified which signs were real and which, like the ‘Warning Darth Vader’ sign, were fake. They also had the opportunity to design their own road warning sign with some very creative results. In addition to learning about the road signs themselves, they also found out what is required to be a designer and the environments they work it.
Sally McLean Depute Head Teacher, said “This was very beneficial for our pupils and they were enthralled by the experience. It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to deepen their understanding of Skills for Learning, Life and Work.”
Lesley Watson, Business Liaison Officer with the Schools & Learning Team of Angus said “This fantastic event was part of Warddykes World of Work week and is a great example of how engaging with local employers can enhance the children’s learning experience. Not only have the children benefited from having industry experts like BEAR Scotland visit them and tell them about their jobs and the skills required, they are also now more aware of how a wide range of jobs influence their society and why they are all important to a community.”
Warddykes Primary School have been very grateful to benefit from the support of a number of local employers and organisations as part of their World of Work Week, including: The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, Robertson Construction, Dundee Academy of Sport, Bank of Scotland, Asda, Murray Taylor Chartered Accountants, Police Scotland, Netherton Tractors, Angus College, Bear Scotland and Scottish Business in the Community.
