The session gave children a fascinating insight into the world of engineering, construction and design, while highlighting the wide range of careers available within the industry.

Kerry began by explaining the many different projects Kier works on across the UK and beyond, helping pupils to understand how construction plays a vital role in everyday life. She spoke about the variety of careers within the company, from architects and engineers to project managers and site teams, showing pupils that large projects depend on teamwork and collaboration across many roles.

The class also explored famous building designs from around the world, discovering just how complex and ambitious some structures can be. Pupils took part in an engaging mini‑quiz, guessing how old certain buildings were and learning some surprising facts along the way. They were amazed to discover that the Sydney Opera House took 14 years to build instead of the planned four years due to its complexity, while the Empire State Building was completed in just 410 days—a striking comparison that sparked lots of discussion!

Building on this, pupils learnt about solid building design and which shapes and structures provide the greatest strength and stability. They then had the opportunity to put this knowledge into practice during a hands‑on challenge, using spaghetti and marshmallows to build a structure. The goal was to create the strongest, tallest and most stable tower, encouraging creativity, problem-solving and perseverance.

Throughout the task, the children developed their understanding of teamwork, working together to plan, test and improve their designs. The classroom was full of enthusiasm as teams experimented with different shapes and supported one another to achieve the best possible results.

The session was a fantastic introduction to Emerald Class’s upcoming STEM project and left pupils inspired, curious and excited about engineering and construction.