A new wave of Babcock “ambassadors” are set to spread the word that engineering is a great career choice.

Fourteen members of the company’s graduate and apprenticeship programmes at HM Naval Base Clyde recently had training that will help shape the next wave of committed Babcock Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) ambassadors.

The training was delivered by Science Connects, based at the University of Glasgow.

The course, held at the naval base, covered a range of activities that the group might be expected to run as STEM ambassadors.

This will include attending school events, running work experience programmes and taking part in online Q&A sessions with a live feed.

As Babcock embarks on another year of STEM activity, and in the UK’s Year of Engineering, a mix of first year graduates and second and third year apprentices attended the half-day event, learning how to deliver an engaging and professional STEM event in a young persons’ environment and taking part in interactive tasks of role play between a young person and a STEM ambassador.

The training will support a broad range of community activity that the company leads or takes part in.

One recent example was when when two apprentices, Nicole McKeever and Fiona Lawson, attended a local Women in Engineering networking event to talk about their experiences as females in an engineering environment and their positive experiences as members of the apprenticeship programme.

First year graduate mechanical engineer, Dan McDonnell, who took part in the training event, said: “The training was really valuable. STEM roles are incredibly wide and diverse and I’m hoping to use my training to motivate pupils of all ages and capabilities into pursuing a STEM career path.”

Babcock Clyde managing director, Simon Foster said: “Engineering is an amazing subject to learn and can be a very rewarding career.

“We are committed to helping young people in the community get the very best from the Year of Engineering and STEM activities.”

Science Connects runs the West of Scotland STEM Ambassador Hub, one of 19 Hubs spread across the UK which are managed by STEM Learning UK.