In 2019, Parkside School and GESIPA UK won a joint bid to secure funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to host an initiative to raise the aspirations of secondary school students - Project Altitude.

Twelve students aged 13-14 from Parkside School attended multiple workshops at GESIPA UK throughout 2020 giving them the chance to experience how a large company operates.

The workshops began with a factory tour at GESIPA UK and an overview of the whole business. This included the students being given a hands on experience from understanding the mechanics of the machines to operating a range of setting tools. The second workshop focused on 'a day in the life' of a range of departments at GESIPA, they used CAD to design a Rivet Nut and worked in a team to select the correct rivet and tool and build a ladder. They also created a post for the GESIPA UK Instagram account about the GESIPA tools. Next up, the students visited Jaguar Land Rover where they were given the chance to see the production of the Landrover Evoque and the use of GESIPA rivets, rivet nuts and tools in the car production industry.

In conjunction with the workshops, GESIPA provided two mentors who spent time at Parkside to offer their experiences in a workplace and discuss with the students about their aspirations.  The students learnt how to set clear objectives to use for their forthcoming journey to become “work ready”.

Project Altitude was a successful initiative showing how business and schools can work together. GESIPA was proud to be nominated by Parkside and to receive the Careers and Technical Education Partnership Outstanding Business Contribution Award for this suc-cessful program from the Bradford Council.