Insight into Industry: inspiring the next generation

Briar Chemicals hosted two Insight into Industry visits this month for students from Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form College and the University Technical College Norfolk.

The visits, led by a team of Briar’s chemists and chemical engineers, welcomed pupils currently studying chemistry and other sciences at colleges in Norwich.

Jess Gopee, Director of Science at Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form who organised a visit said: “It was a great opportunity to get ‘behind the scenes’ access to a manufacturing plant that uses chemistry on a large scale. A must see opportunity for any future chemists and chemical engineers. It was fascinating to see how classroom science is translated into processes of this magnitude and the complex systems that enable the plant to run.”

Our students have been inspired by the career opportunities and will be able to make more informed choices when applying for courses. A huge thank you to the team at Briar Chemicals.

Sharn Ponsford, Employer Engagement Coordinator at University Technical College Norfolk (UTCN) also organised an Insight into Industry tour for a group of chemistry students following a successful work experience placement of one of their students who spent a week at Briar in summer within the engineering department.

Briar’s ‘Insight into Industry’ visits offer students and teachers a chance to see how the sciences learnt at college are used in a manufacturing environment. Briar promotes STEM education and supports educational hubs across the region by offering their expertise and knowledge to students looking to pursue a career in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.

Following a tour of the production plants, laboratories and the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant and the solar panel installation on site, students are able to meet with members of staff in a variety of roles at  Briar. This opportunity allows them to understand the career pathways available to them for a future in science.