Sultan hosts inspiring young engineering occasion
HMS SULTAN welcomed over 260 students from Year Seven last week (June 10) for their ‘SULSTEMIC’ event; which continues the Royal Navy’s premier engineering training establishment’s long-standing commitment to Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and community engagement.
Young people aged 11–12 from ten Hampshire schools including Bridgemary School, Bay House, St Edmunds Catholic School, Fareham Academy, Henry Cort Community College, Meoncross School, Priory School, Kings Academy Brune Park, Kings Academy Bay House, and All’s Well School. Everyone involved spent a full day immersed in hands-on activities demonstrating how engineering underpins modern technology, national defence and everyday life.
Royal Navy Air Engineers introduced pupils to helicopter fault diagnosis, basic flight servicing, and drone piloting. Marine Engineers offered experiments with power generation, model ship building and buoyancy testing, and an interactive submarine simulation. Industry partners including Malloy, GE Vernova, Leonardo Helicopters, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, The Nuclear Institute, Team Fisher, BMT, IMechE, and Wartsila Defence Solutions delivered demonstrations showcasing cutting-edge technologies including static drone displays with VR headsets, nuclear naval innovation, and gas turbine engineering. These activities gave pupils a direct window into how industry and the military work together at the forefront of innovation.
SULSTEMIC was attended by Rear Admiral Steve McCarthy CB, Chief Naval Engineer Officer (CNEO), who joined as Guest of Honour, reflecting the national significance of the event and the Royal Navy’s commitment to inspiring the next generation of engineers.
The Commanding Officer of HMS Sultan, Captain Mark Hamilton, reflected on the event as he said: “It has been a great privilege to host SULSTEMIC, to see these pupils’ curiosity and energy to learn, asking lots of questions, as they engage with, and solve, real problems.
“Beyond our primary focus of training for the needs of Defence, HMS Sultan and the Royal Navy have a wider commitment to help close the UK’s engineering skills gap, and SULSTEMIC is a tangible expression of that, and I am very proud of my team who have organised everything. For all the pupils involved, we hope that today’s STEM spark grows into something which will encourage them to take a closer look.”
Founded on 1 June 1956, HMS Sultan has spent seven decades as the Royal Navy’s centre of engineering excellence. SULSTEMIC is the embodiment of that enduring community spirit, a direct investment in the young people of the region and in the STEM workforce required by industry of tomorrow.
The event was made possible with generous funding from The Gosling Foundation, Malloy, and GE Vernova, and was free to attend for all invited schools. Prizes were awarded to schools achieving the highest scores across the day’s activities, with Rear Admiral McCarthy presenting these awards.
Saagar Jagatia, Head of Faculty in Computer Science, Business & Food Tech at King’s Academy Brune Park said: “SULSTEMIC has been a fantastic event. From the moment we started in the main hangar, you could see the impact, having high-profile personnel from the Navy there to speak to the students meant a lot, and it really helped them feel comfortable enough to ask all the questions they wanted.”
“The drone flying event had a big impact; having to fly drones from one ship to another and land them to score points, they absolutely loved that. Events like this complement what we deliver in the classroom, and since our last visit we’ve actually introduced more robotics elements into our curriculum as a result.
“Every session we attended spoke about future aspirations, engineering and apprenticeships. I think that’s genuinely helped our students think ‘maybe this is the route I want to go down’ rather than assuming university is the only path. That’s been really powerful, especially as so many of our students are local to the area.”
Brune Park student Armie said: “My favourite activity was the boat making, it surprised me how the design makes things work so differently. I’ve always thought engineering was exciting, but now I think it’s even more fun. I’m probably going to focus on science and geography at school, I’m just excited for what’s coming next.”
Meanwhile, Brune Park student CJ said: “Going into the helicopter was my favourite part, I was surprised by how cramped it actually is because it looks huge on the outside! Today made me realise there are a lot more types of engineering than I thought. Re-engineering the boats was quite difficult, but when it worked it was really pleasing, I might do engineering when I’m older.”
HMS Sultan’s STEM Ambassadors continue to educate, inspire and encourage young people to consider STEM careers throughout the year, with SULSTEMIC the flagship event in that programme. Readers can see more information about the Gosport-based training establishment by clicking on this link.
PICTURED BY LEADING PHOTOGRAPHER JADEN LOVELADY: Industry partner stands Industry partners including Capita, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Leonardo Helicopters, GE Vernova and Malloy showcased cutting-edge technologies at SULSTEMIC, giving pupils a direct window into how military and civilian STEM work hand in hand.
