Whatever happened to Technical Schools?
When the good people of four Surrey villages found themselves plagued by three teenagers joyriding and torching stolen cars, their reaction was untypical, to say the least. Instead of creating a racket about better policing and tougher sentencing, they set up a project whereby the bored youngsters could learn to take apart the cars to which they were so attracted.
GASP (Gomshall, Albury, Shere and Peaslake) Motor Project was conceived in 2005. Today, it’s a fully-fledged alternative learning provider with courses in motor mechanics and practical engineering, running daytime, after-school and evening sessions from mobile units and its workshop in Albury, near Guildford. It works with 32 secondary schools, training hundreds of teenagers disengaged from traditional schooling and in danger of dropping out of formal education.
Practical instruction aside, GASP students also learn the soft skills necessary to help them find work.
“We use mechanics as a tool to teach them communication, teamwork and self-confidence,” explains Chief Executive, Henry Curwen.
And it’s working too. Strong links to a Woking transport business and to engineering companies facilitate work placements, with one student selected by Rolls Royce for a fully sponsored engineering degree at Warwick University. Students regularly take part in electric kit car competitions, as well as learning to repair car, motorbike and quad bike engines and to understand MOT tests.
High staff to student ratios (1:3) mean that GASP is always seeking volunteers to support the trainers, especially for evening sessions, and for visiting engineers to give one-off talks and workshops. If you have a background in engineering or mechanics, and can spare a few hours, email Henry at henry.curwen@gaspmotorproject.org
GASP (Gomshall, Albury, Shere and Peaslake) Motor Project was conceived in 2005. Today, it’s a fully-fledged alternative learning provider with courses in motor mechanics and practical engineering, running daytime, after-school and evening sessions from mobile units and its workshop in Albury, near Guildford. It works with 32 secondary schools, training hundreds of teenagers disengaged from traditional schooling and in danger of dropping out of formal education.
Practical instruction aside, GASP students also learn the soft skills necessary to help them find work.
“We use mechanics as a tool to teach them communication, teamwork and self-confidence,” explains Chief Executive, Henry Curwen.
And it’s working too. Strong links to a Woking transport business and to engineering companies facilitate work placements, with one student selected by Rolls Royce for a fully sponsored engineering degree at Warwick University. Students regularly take part in electric kit car competitions, as well as learning to repair car, motorbike and quad bike engines and to understand MOT tests.
High staff to student ratios (1:3) mean that GASP is always seeking volunteers to support the trainers, especially for evening sessions, and for visiting engineers to give one-off talks and workshops. If you have a background in engineering or mechanics, and can spare a few hours, email Henry at henry.curwen@gaspmotorproject.org
