Heatcare Oil and Gas has delivered a hands-on plumbing programme to S3 pupils across Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce (DYW North East).
The programme aims to introduce pupils to basic plumbing techniques and tool use, an understanding of heating systems and components, and workplace skills such as teamwork and problem-solving.
So far, workshops have taken place at Portlethen Academy, Dyce Academy and Meldrum Academy. Heatcare reported that each session has given pupils the opportunity to work directly with tools, materials, and systems they would encounter in a real working environment.
Kirsty Campbell-Robertson, depute head teacher at Porthlethen Academy, said: “The plumbing workshop from Heatcare Oil and Gas provided an excellent learning experience for our pupils, giving learners the opportunity to develop hands-on contextualised skills that are not typically covered within our current curriculum.
“Pupils were fully involved throughout and gained a valuable insight into the plumbing trade and related career pathways. This was a well-delivered, worthwhile experience for our pupils, and I would undoubtedly recommend it to other schools.”
Further workshops are set to be held at The Gordon Schools in Huntly, Inverurie Academy, St Machar Academy and Northfield Academy.
DYW North East connected Heatcare with schools and made sure the sessions aligned with curriculum goals and future career pathways.
A range of industry partners also played a role in the programme’s delivery by providing materials and knowledge. Aberdeen Heat & Power delivered a talk on district heating and turning waste into energy and supplied a Heat Interface Unit for the students to work on.
Intergas provided a gas boiler and shared insights into its products, while Plumb Centre supplied pipes, fittings and other materials for the practical tasks.
Tullos Training introduced the students to gas, plumbing and electrical apprenticeship opportunities and provided Personal Protective Equipment, while SNIPEF Training provided further training support and supplied goody bags for the students to take away.
Jane Nelson, executive chair of Cardo Group, will be attending an additional session at Portlethen Academy on 23 June to speak about women in the workplace.
Jamie Hutcheon, director at DYW North East, added: “DYW North East is extremely grateful to Heatcare and its partners for delivering such a fantastic, practical plumbing programme for young people across the region. These workshops gave pupils the chance to get hands on, build confidence, and experience what working in the trades is really like beyond the classroom.
“Our role at DYW North East is to support and connect schools with employers like Heatcare, ensuring opportunities like this align with education and clearly demonstrate future career pathways. Experiences such as these can spark interest, raise aspirations, and help pupils see the exciting, real life opportunities available to them as they begin thinking about their next steps.”
Calum McCombie, director at Heatcare Oil and Gas, said: “It was great to see such strong engagement throughout the sessions, with students building confidence as they worked through the practical tasks. Investing in the next generation of future talent is important to us, and introducing these skills early on can help open up new opportunities across the industry.
“We’d like to thank DYW North East and all our partners who helped to showcase the wide range of opportunities within the sector – inspiring more people to pursue a rewarding career in the trades.”