High-achieving students from Network Rail’s Fast Trackers outreach programme have been treated to a trip in its surveillance helicopter.
National aerial survey specialist Chris Ashworth talked to students Mukhtar and James, who are studying electrical and civil engineering, respectively, about the uses and benefits of using the helicopter and then took them on a 45-minute flight to survey an area near to Farnworth. Afterwards he showed them videos of faults that had been identified as a direct result of aerial surveys.
Fast Trackers saw 140 college students from the northwest take part in a five-day learning experience in June. The purpose of the programme was to use the rail industry as a vehicle to explain the wide range of engineering opportunities to 16-to-19 year-olds from areas that experience extremely low higher education uptake.
A bigger national Fast Trackers programme is planned for 2019.
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