COLLINS Aerospace in Kilkeel, a business of Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX), has welcomed pupils from local schools in the Banbridge and Dromore area to its facility to experience first-hand how the company manufactures world class aircraft seating products, and the processes that are involved in doing so.
The event at the company’s Moor Road facility saw students from Banbridge Academy, St Patrick’s College and Dromore High School share transport to the site, before having the opportunity to learn about the manufacturing process of aircraft seating through informative presentations and a tour of different departments across the facility.
The focus of the schools’ visit, which was organised by the company’s dedicated STEM Council, was to showcase the many opportunities and career pathways that are available to students by choosing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) related subjects.
Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel, produces a range of seating from main cabin aircraft to bespoke business class seating and is home to one of the largest seating facilities in the world, building more than 25 per cent of aeroplane seats currently in operation.
During the visit, pupils were taken through the entire manufacturing process and had the opportunity to speak to Collins’ employees about the seating assembly, composites and plastic manufacturing, and Industry 4.0 initiatives, as well as the influence of STEM in their own successful careers.
Simon Muldrew, NPI Director of Interiors at Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel, spoke about the visit saying, “It was a pleasure to welcome students from Banbridge Academy, St Patrick’s College and Dromore High School to our facility today. It’s hugely important that students are exposed to the opportunities available within STEM-related careers from a young age, and seeing first-hand how manufacturing processes work can really ignite that spark.”
“It’s also great to see all three schools come together to share the costs of transportation of travelling to the facility, highlighting the importance that they too place on the experience of visiting a local aerospace manufacturing company. We look forward to building on our event today and extending the invitation to other schools in the future.”
Alan Henning, Managing Director of Collins Aerospace in Kilkeel said, “We were delighted to host the local students and show them how the STEM subjects they are studying can be applied to “real-life” scenarios. Collins Aerospace is passionate about building the next generation of engineers, and we hope that through today’s event, the students have been inspired to pursue a STEM related career.”
Speaking after the event, Orla Gribben from St Patrick’s College in Banbridge said; “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the team at Collins Aerospace for hosting our students. It is very important for our young people to learn more about the STEM career opportunities that are available to them, especially in their local area. It was amazing to see inside the factory and be shown the amount of work that goes into the production of an aircraft seat! The pupils very much enjoyed their visit.”
Collins Aerospace is a major employer for the Kilkeel area with over 800 employees, and in addition to contributing to the local economy, it is committed to the career development and progression of its employees. Each year it welcomes new interns and apprentices to its site and provides them with the necessary hands-on experience and technical knowledge to equip them in becoming the next generation of engineers, helping to develop long-standing and progressive careers with the company.
