Event Dates:

📍 25th September 2025 – Reading College
📍 2nd October 2025 – Bracknell and Wokingham College

Overview

Our Acorn team recently organised and planned two STEM Career Events at Reading College and Bracknell & Wokingham College, the mission was to inspire students to explore the opportunities available within the Facilities Management and Building Services sectors.

We are passionate about supporting the next generation of engineers and technicians. By Introducing ways to raise awareness and showcase the real impact of STEM careers within Facilities Management. These events provided an opportunity for our team to share career insights, encourage Q&A sessions about engineering. We also shared with students’ plenty of information about apprenticeships and technical pathways within our organisation.

Main Challenge

The engineering and FM industries continue to face a growing skills gap, with many young people unaware of the wide range of roles and career routes available suitable for them.
Acorn’s goal behind the STEM event was to bridge this knowledge gap by connecting directly with students, showcasing learning in science, technology, and maths translates into meaningful and rewarding careers for the future.

Acorn’s Approach

Presenting to Engineering, electrical, carpentry and construction students to spark curiosity. The sessions allowed the Acorn Team to explain any possibilities and career opportunities within the sector of their choice. We also had the RAF sidecar as a “visual hook” to keep the students engaged. The RAF team discussed about what they do in terms of the Motorsport Association, sidecar racing and the engineering process involved of Sidecar etc. Driving new conversations and bringing the students together through learning.

Key Results

• Over 150+ students engaged across both college events.
• We received Positive feedback from staff and students, praising the sessions for being interactive and relatable.
• Several students expressed interest in future apprenticeship opportunities with Acorn and collected our informative leaflets
• We also managed to strengthen our partnerships with Activate Learning Colleges, supporting future career collaboration and events.

Testimonial

“It was fantastic to see how engaged our students were during Acorn’s session. Hearing directly from industry professionals helped them understand the real opportunities available through apprenticeships and careers in engineering.”
— [Jay Caston, Work Experience Coordinator]

These events have made a significant impact reflect Acorn’s company values: Respecting Each Other, Supporting Our Business, Growth Mindset, Pride in Our Work, Equality, and A Happy Place.
By engaging directly with students, we’re helping shape a stronger, more inclusive future for the Facilities Management industry.

Future STEM Events

Following the success of these events, Acorn plans to expand its STEM outreach into more schools and colleges in 2026. We aspire to continue to mentor and empower young people to become the engineers of tomorrow. A huge thank you to Activate Learning for allowing us to host our STEM events and supporting us to create a memorable and exciting event at both colleges.