Year 10 students from All Saints Academy Plymouth gained a behind-the-scenes insight into how world-class yachts are designed and built during a visit to Princess Yachts.
Students visited the company’s South Yard facility, where they learned how its luxury motor yachts are developed and manufactured. The visit gave students the chance to see how ideas from the classroom are applied in a real engineering environment.
The experience brought their Engineering Design lessons to life, with students seeing how ideas move from the early design stage through testing and development before becoming finished products.
A highlight was seeing the mock-up facility, where interior spaces for the X95 yacht were created and tested with clients. Students learned how designers use prototyping, ergonomics and customer feedback to refine their ideas before production.
Students also explored the use of composite materials, building on knowledge gained during a previous visit to Composite Integration Ltd, where they created a resin injection machine similar to those used to manufacture yacht hulls.
The visit helped students get to know the range of careers available in design, engineering and manufacturing, while showing how the skills they develop in school can connect to the world of work.
All Saints Academy Plymouth, part of the Ted Wragg Trust, has a strong focus on engineering. Its partnerships with local employers give students opportunities to build practical skills, explore careers and see how their learning connects to the needs of Plymouth’s engineering and manufacturing industries.
Scott Simpson-Horne, Headteacher at All Saints Academy Plymouth, said:
“This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to step inside a world-leading business and see design and engineering in action. The visit gave them a valuable insight into the range of careers available and helped them understand how their learning can open doors for the future.”
Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust, said:
“Working with employers gives students the chance to see where their learning can take them and explore careers they may not have considered before. We are proud to support opportunities like this, which connect our schools with their wider community and help young people understand the possibilities available to them.”
