Chem Eng inspires young lives with the Prince's Trust

Holly Hazell, a young Bath resident, participated in a work placement with the Department of Chemical Engineering as part of the Prince’s Trust Team programme.

Team is a 12-week personal development programme offering work experience, qualifications, practical skills, community projects and a residential week. The programme helps people leaving care, young offenders, educational underachievers and the long-term unemployed between 16-25 years of age.

As part of her work experience stage, Holly received basic training to use analytical instrumentation for analysing samples (HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography). The Department technicians also trained Holly in the microbial sterile technique, growing two types of yeast in both liquid culture and on agar plates.

Holly had the opportunity to participate in a variety of projects such as assisting in carrying out the Departmental monthly gas audit, and the health and safety aspects of handling and installing gas cylinders. She also joined in on the undergraduate lab practicals, gaining an opportunity to see what first and second-year students do in the lab.

Ed Ascott, Team Leader at the Prince's Trust, said: "It's increasingly difficult to find good quality work placements for our students in the current economic climate.

Not only is a work placement a vital requirement for the qualification, it's vital to our learners to have an experience that inspires them to engage in education and motivates them to be successful in their chosen career.

It is a key factor in raising their confidence and belief and helping them kick on, it really does open their minds to what's out there waiting for them if they work hard.

We're very lucky that focal points of the community like the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Bath have provided an opportunity for them in the past.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the staff and students at the Department and the University for their involvement. Our programme only continues to run because other organisations see the potential in our students and have similar core values to ourselves."

After taking part in the Team programme, more than 70 per cent of unemployed participants go on to jobs, training or education within three months of completing.

Over 115,000 people have taken part since the programme was launched in 1990. The programme is available at over 300 locations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Read more about the Prince's Trust Team programme.