The BLOODHOUND Landspeed car and team visited the Isle of Man Motor Museum in Jurby to help promote careers in engineering and technology to students from the Island’s five secondary schools, as part of the broader Awareness of Careers in Engineering project (ACE).

BLOODHOUND is a British project that aims to set a new land speed World Record with a car designed to attempt speeds of 1,000mph.  Local engineering firm Swagelok has designed and manufactured one of the components of the car.

Students had the opportunity to spend time with Andy Green, the pilot, who talked to them about the car, before students undertook hands on activities with the BLOODHOUND team building Rocket Cars and Balloon Cars.

The objectives of the ACE project are to help shape Isle of Man students’ perceptions of what careers in engineering, manufacturing and technology consist of and to make them more aware of what the Engineering and Manufacturing Sector on the Isle of Man comprises.

Lawrie Hooper MHK, Member of the Department of Economic Development with responsibility for manufacturing, commented:

“The visit of BLOODHOUND undoubtedly fired up the interest of our students in careers in engineering, manufacturing and technology, and was the highlight of the Isle of Man’s Awareness of Careers in Engineering programme this year.

The Isle of Man Aerospace Cluster supports ACE to ensure engineering and manufacturing is seen as a viable, rewarding and long term career in the Isle of Man and to help them understand the skills needed to be employed in the sector.

Within Europe, access to the right skills is currently the key issue within the precision manufacturing sector, so much of our sector’s future success depends on having accessibility to skilled engineers. Therefore, we need to develop a highly skilled local workforce to ensure its continued success.”

The visit of BLOODHOUND took place with the support of the Isle of Man Post Office, The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, the Isle of Man Motor Museum, the Department of Economic Development, the Department of Education and Children and local Industry.

More information about BLOODHOUND can be found here: http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/