ExxonMobil Fawley makes £12,000 New Year donation for local STEM teaching

• New Forest Academy and Southampton Engineering Training Association receive £6000 each
• Donations to fund new equipment and boost teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths
• Refinery Manager highlights support for local young peoples’ career development

The refinery and petrochemical plant has donated £6,000 to each organisation as part of its commitment to encouraging young people in the local community to study science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and to pursue careers related to those subjects.

Simon Downing, Refinery Manager at ExxonMobil Fawley, said: “Making sure we play our part in helping to give local young people opportunities to engage in STEM is an important priority for the site. Our goal is to support their education so that they not only enjoy their learning, but also have the potential to go on and have successful careers, perhaps even with us here at Fawley.”

The £6,000 awarded to New Forest Academy (NFA) will be used to help fund a series of STEM events. These will see about 150 pupils from local primary schools invited to take part in enjoyable science-related activities, assisted by teachers and older students from NFA. The donation will also help to purchase a state-of-the-art laser cutting machine . This will be used by GCSE technology students for their project work.

New Forest Academy Principal Karen Godsall said: “We are delighted that ExxonMobil is supporting us with important STEM-based projects. The students will benefit enormously from using the laser cutter in their technology lessons. Also, we look forward to running our STEM-based events with local primary schools as they provide such valuable learning experiences for young people within our community.”

Apprentices studying at SETA will also benefit from a £6,000 contribution from ExxonMobil Fawley. The money will be used to buy new tools and equipment needed for a variety of trades, including fitting, machinery, electrical and instrumentation. A significant proportion will go towards purchasing much-needed welding equipment, while the cash will also help to increase SETA’s range of portable hand tools.

Julie Gough, Managing Director of SETA, said: “We are overwhelmed with the donation from ExxonMobil Fawley. As a registered charity, established in 1969, we have spent the past 50 years committed to quality engineering training for young people and have built links with local schools to try and encourage them into the industry.

“We work closely with the STEM network, so this donation from ExxonMobil fits perfectly with our ethos. To receive a £6,000 cash donation provides the opportunity to replace existing equipment with brand new, modern equipment thus enhancing the apprentices’ training experience.”

Pictures by J Stock Photography.

Notes for editors:

• ExxonMobil at Fawley is the collective name given to Esso Petroleum Company Limited and ExxonMobil Chemical Limited which are part of Exxon Mobil Corporation.
• The Fawley refinery is the largest in the UK. Approximately one in six cars in the UK operates on fuel produced at Fawley.
• Over the past six years, ExxonMobil at Fawley has contributed in excess of £1m in community support.

For more information, contact Alison Jones, Community Affairs Manager, ExxonMobil Fawley. Telephone: +44 023 8089 6799. Email: alison.j.jones@exxonmobil.com