STUDENTS have gone behind the scenes at a company to learn about how transport and solar technology can be combined to help create a greener future and see if they would like to forge a career in the industry.
Youngsters from Waterhead Academy on Huddersfield have enjoyed a tour of Oldham-based solar transport firm TRAILAR.
They learnt about the decarbonisation of transport and the use of solar and data-driven technology.
The trip was organised after the Rio Ferdinand Foundation teamed up with Trailor.
Waterhead Academy students at TRAILAR
Greater Manchester programme manager of the foundation, Victoria Lowe, said: "We are really excited to partner up with Trailar and connect young people into these types of innovative industries.
We know that the green economy is key to shaping jobs for the future, so it's essential that young people have the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and experiences that will help them to shape their own roles within this sector.
"Meeting the team, seeing the technology and hearing about the career journeys of the owners and the wider team was really inspiring.
"We look forward to continuing our partnership with Trailar and supporting more young people to gain invaluable insight into these types of industries and providing opportunities and pathways to increase young people's social mobility."
TRAILAR supports more than 100 commercial fleets in 15 countries around the world to reduce their environmental impact, supporting them to tackle emissions as well as providing valuable and communications insight.
A TRAILAR Fleet Vehicle
Students had the chance to meet TRAILAR co-founder and managing director Aaron Thomas, who shared his career to date, and his inspiring journey into sustainable transport solutions.
Mr Thomas, said: "At TRAILAR our mission is to create a world of more efficient, more sustainable transport, through the use of solar and data-driven technology. We aim to cascade this mission to the public domain, which includes the younger generation.
"Having the opportunity for a local academy school to visit our premises is something we were really looking forward to.
"It allowed the students the opportunity to discover the transport industry in more detail, their pains and needs and how adding solar to transport can support transport operators in multiple ways, including the decarbonisation of transport."
Waterhead Academy students at TRAILAR
Customer operations specialist Jordan Allison provided a tour of the warehouse, and an opportunity for the students to meet the team, and to learn about all of the job roles on site.
The students also took part in a Q&A session, an opportunity to learn about the solar mats and the other technology on site.
The young people also received a presentation on the company's journey both in the UK and overseas from international account manager, George Keaney, and UK national account manager, Andrew Hartley.
As the afternoon concluded, participants enjoyed a fun solar transport quiz, the perfect opportunity to test their new solar powered knowledge.
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