Moray pupils learning from A96 dualling team

Local primary and secondary schools attend event at Moray College UHI
Around 100 pupils and 20 teachers from 16 Moray primary schools and 4 secondary schools attended an event on Tuesday 17 April in Moray College UHI to celebrate the success of Transport Scotland’s schools engagement programme on the A96 Dualling Hardmuir to Fochabers scheme.

The event let local school children present their projects to a judging panel from Transport Scotland’s design consultancy Mott MacDonald Sweco (MMS). Prizes were awarded to the winning teams in different categories.

In the first year of the programme, training has been delivered by specialist educational supplier Primary Engineer to 56 primary and 20 secondary school teachers. Engineers from MMS have assisted with presentations, Q&A sessions and class projects.

Keith Brown Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work said:

“As well as upgrading the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen to dual carriageway, this Government recognises the importance of benefitting the communities who live along the route as we design and build the new road.
 
“It is fitting in the Year of Young People that our schools engagement is leaving a legacy for the future, training teachers to deliver a programme for pupils in local schools which helps them develop an interest in engineering.

“The fact that engineers from Transport Scotland and the consultants designing the dualled route between Hardmuir and Fochabers are taking the time to offer their expertise will help inspire the children to consider being the engineers of the future.”

Lise McCaffery, Regional Director for Primary Engineer, expressed her delight with the project outcomes.

“It’s wonderful to see how young people and their teachers in Moray have engaged with our engineering programmes, linking with industry professionals and using their creative problem solving. We look forward to seeing how the project grows.”