Pupils granted inside look at Assystem

Twelve Lancashire school pupils have been given an inside look at the workings of global nuclear engineering company Assystem.

Pupils from Darwen Vale High School were given work experience at the company's UK headquarters in Blackburn.

The pupils took part in discussions with Assystem’s employees which focused on matching their skills and ambitions with high value careers in the energy transition, a key process currently underway to decarbonise all forms of energy in the economy. 

Assystem also arranged a Climate Fresk experience – a two-hour workshop that uses gamification to explore how activities like burning fossil fuels contribute to climate change. The session was followed by a visit from Blackburn MP Kate Hollern, in which skills and local career opportunities in the energy transition were key topics discussed with Assystem‘s UK managing director, Simon Barber.

Assystem provides engineering, digital and project management services to major low-carbon energy and infrastructure projects in the UK and internationally, particularly in the nuclear, hydrogen, fusion energy, grid and rail sectors. Its UK presence has increased fourfold since 2020, with hundreds of jobs being created in the North West.

The company offers multiple routes into low-carbon careers for school and university-leavers, through its respective degree apprenticeship and graduate schemes. It recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Central Lancashire to further extend its jobs offer to locals in the North West who are passionate about driving the energy transition.

Simon Barber said: "We thank the students from Darwen Vale for visiting us today and bringing their enthusiasm and curiosity to our event, their generation will play a leading role in the energy transition.

"The visit will have helped Darwen Vale pupils to understand the diverse and interesting careers they can enjoy in the energy sector by learning about the projects that Assystem works on, and the range of specialist disciplines that bring these to success.”

Kate Hollern, MP for Blackburn, said: “The work Assystem is doing is key to our transition to more sustainable energy provision, a crucial task in the years ahead. It is great to see a Blackburn based firm championing innovation in this area and supporting the next generation in learning about the potential of high skill, high value career opportunities that they could take up – all of which will be a huge benefit to the local economy."