This October, students at Crewe Engineering & Design UTC had an incredible opportunity to work directly with Balfour Beatty, one of the UK's leading infrastructure companies.

As part of the collaboration, Balfour Beatty launched an Employer Set Project (ESP), a hands-on initiative built into the UTC curriculum to give students a taste of solving real-world industry problems.

The focus of this year's ESP was Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), innovative systems that mimic natural drainage by slowing down runoff, reducing pollutants, and promoting water infiltration.

As part of the collaboration, Balfour Beatty launched an Employer Set Project (ESP), a hands-on initiative built into the UTC curriculum to give students a taste of solving real-world industry problems (Crewe UTC).

Students were challenged to explore how SuDS could be retrofitted around the Crewe UTC site, looking at features such as roofs and hard surfaces to improve the sustainability of the college's drainage system.

Their brief asked them to research and design practical SuDS solutions such as green roofs and walls, permeable pavements, and rain gardens, all methods that naturally absorb or store rainwater and reduce environmental impact.

From this research, students created detailed design proposals for retrofitting SuDS on site.

As part of the project, students also took part in a Mock Assessment Centre run by Balfour Beatty, designed to replicate a real recruitment process.

The day featured mock interviews, team-building challenges, and scenario-based tasks, all aimed at helping students develop crucial employability skills and gain valuable insight into the professional world.

The experience concluded with students delivering presentations of their SuDS designs to visiting Balfour Beatty staff, showcasing their research, creativity, and technical understanding.

Students were challenged to explore how SuDS could be retrofitted around the Crewe UTC site, looking at features such as roofs and hard surfaces to improve the sustainability of the college's drainage system (Crewe UTC).

Crewe UTC was delighted to welcome the following representatives from Balfour Beatty, who supported and assessed the students throughout the project:

• Andrew Maddock
• Raj Phillips
• Alfie Pendlebury
• Jess Rawlinson – Crewe UTC Alumni
• Joanne Barrie
• John Parrott

This exciting partnership between Crewe UTC and Balfour Beatty not only gave students a real insight into sustainable engineering practices but also strengthened their confidence, teamwork, and communication skills, preparing them for the world of work and future careers in engineering.

READ MORE: Repurposing our High Streets Grant scheme helping creative businesses thrive in Crewe.

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