Over 120 pupils from across Argyll took part in a careers event with a difference when they had to relive the storms that battered Arran and Kintyre last year.
A team from SHE Transmission’s Kintyre-Hunterston project worked with the pupils to deal with a scenario where “storms” caused havoc to the electricity distribution and transmission networks – just like those that in March 2013.
Fifth and sixth year pupils from Tarbert Academy, Campbeltown Grammar and Islay High School joined Lochgilphead Joint Campus for the full-day event which put the students in the shoes of the SHE Transmission staff to come up with the best strategy to restore supplies as quickly and safely as possible.
Pat Howe, Project Manager, Project Manager, SHE Transmission said: “We were approached by Argyll & Bute Council a few months ago to ask if we could host a careers event for pupils in the local area and we were keen to do something a little different.
“The storms in Kintyre and Arran last year were a perfect example of different people from across the SSE business working together to restore supplies. Along with the repair staff, there are thousands of employees supporting them from answering calls to those off supply, organising hotel accommodation and welfare vehicles, liaison with the emergency services and even in-house meteorologists.
“This event exposed the pupils to some of the different opportunities available in the energy industry, not just engineering.”
The exercise was developed by SHE Transmission and its contractors to show pupils how their classroom learning could be used in real life situations, and to equip them with an understanding of the skills required in crisis management. The event also gave them an insight into the range of opportunities available within the companies that were hosting the event.
Christina MacLean, fifth year pupil from Lochgilphead Joint Campus, said: “I enjoyed the event because it showed me that you don’t necessarily need to have a degree to work in the energy industry.
“I found the presentations from all of the different companies very interesting as there are lots of opportunities to do different things.”
The Kintyre to Hunterston connection is a project to reinforce the 132kV transmission network on Kintyre by providing a new 132kV connection between Carradale Substation and the new Crossaig substation.
Click the image above to view our video from the day, or see it here.