ExxonMobil made gold partner

EXXONMOBIL has been awarded IChemE Gold Corporate Partner status for its UK sites in Fawley, Hampshire, and Fife.

The company was recognised for providing outstanding professional development to its employees, and its significant contribution to engage with and encourage UK schoolchildren into chemical engineering careers.

ExxonMobil employs 3,000 people in the UK, and engineers at its Fawley and Fife sites are developed through the company’s training scheme. This programme encourages all participants to pursue Chartered status, and has been accredited by IChemE for more than 25 years.

Almost 100 engineers at the two sites are already Chartered, and 50 graduates are currently pursuing Chartered status, supported by 35 mentors.

The gold partner status also reflects Exxon’s strong commitment to the next generation of chemical engineers from school age right through to university.

Through a £100,000+ “Links Schools Programme”, it provides £3,000 each to 23 schools near its Fawley and Fife sites for STEM support, and also facilitates tours. This year, it successfully piloted a STEM event for female students aged 10–11 at the Fawley site, aimed at encouraging girls into engineering.

In support of university students, Exxon offers an average of 26 industrial placements each year, and runs an annual eight-week summer programme with 28 attendees. It also hosts a “Women in ExxonMobil” day each year, inviting 80 female students to meet female engineers at the company and to gain an understanding of careers available.

IChemE Chief Executive Jon Prichard and immediate past president Jonathan Seville attended the award’s presentation at Fawley refinery on Tuesday. Richard Henderson, chemical plant manager, and Simon Downing, refinery manager, received the award.

Downing said: “The award is external acknowledgement of the excellent technical training and mentoring programme we provide to young engineers. It also demonstrates our commitment to ensuring we support chemical engineers to achieve their Chartered and Fellow status.”

“It’s fantastic to see that they (ExxonMobil) fully support chemical engineers on their journey towards Chartered status,” said Seville, adding: “Chemical engineering really does matter and ExxonMobil’s commitment is clearly demonstrated in its schools’ outreach and professional development work, which is embedded within the organisation.”