On February 16th nearly 1000 students and young people working in the process industry descended on Birmingham for the annual Frank Morton sports day. This year a team was organised by the IChemE young members group involving over 60 young people working for a variety of companies across the country. The event, traditionally for chemical engineering departments in the country to get together for sports and social event, has also been opened to a number of industrialists teams. These teams where made up of young people working the industry wanting to not only relive their student days and the memorable Frank Morton events they had attended but also show undergraduates that there is life after graduation in the process industries.
This year a team was organised by the IChemE young members group involving over 60 young people working for a variety of companies across the country. The team kindly sponsored by NEPIC, IChemE and excelsyn met the night before the event to network and listen to presentation about getting chartered. This team was supported by a number of members of the YPN from around the country.
The IChemE young members team took part in a variety of sports including everything from the more traditional sports of hockey, football, rugby, Squash, Badminton and Netball to rounder’s, pool and even giant scalextric.
To our delight, am somewhat surprise, as well the enjoyment we got from meeting new people and playing sports we actually did quite well and went on to prove victorious, winning the overall industrialists trophy. It was then time for socialising and as 1000 chemical engineers made there way to Broad Street in Birmingham to sample the local nightlife, it was time to celebrate.
During the day I also manned a stand speaking to undergraduates and young people in industry about the opportunities available in the North East, where there was a lot of interest especially when the scale of the process industry in the North East was explained.
The day after it was time to reflect on yet another memorable Frank Morton although a little (ok very) sore and aching it had proved to be a enjoyable event where we had not only had a great time but met some new friends and where hopefully able to show people the opportunities to open to them following graduation. I am already looking forward to next year, my legs may have recovered by then.