Fife Ethylene Plant hosts one of its largest ever site visits for local science students

As Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP) celebrates its 40th anniversary, the Mossmorran site has embraced the future scientists and engineers of Scotland through its partnership with the Salters' Institute.

The Salters’ Institute, one of the great twelve livery companies of the City of London, has been at the forefront of promoting excellence in chemistry education since 1918.

Thanks to a £200,000 donation from ExxonMobil, the plant has brought its chemistry festivals to Fife, featuring a series of "Discovery Days" aimed at inspiring and educating students about careers in chemistry and chemical engineering through hands-on learning experiences.

Students from Beath High School, Dunfermline High School, Glenwood High School, Inverkeithing High School, Lochgelly High School, Queen Anne High School, Viewforth High School, and Woodmill High School attended an insightful visit to the Fife Ethylene Plant. It was one of the largest site visits in FEP’s history and one of the largest Salters’ Festivals of Chemistry ever held in Scotland.

Students from National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher Chemistry classes toured the site and participated in interactive science activities led by ExxonMobil volunteers, which included more than 30 employees ranging from apprentices to senior leaders. They also had a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with a Mobil 1 sponsored Red Bull Racing Formula 1 car.

The students also visited Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh as part of the programme. They engaged in hands-on experiments in the campus's laboratory before attending a careers panel featuring academic and industry experts.

Commenting on the collaboration with ExxonMobil, Liam Thomas, Head of Education at the Salters' Institute, said: "We are extremely thankful for this collaboration, which emphasises the crucial role that industry partnerships play in inspiring future scientists. It has been fantastic to see students actively engage in scientific discovery during this time and we are sure they will go home invigorated and eager to learn more.”

Lorraine Thomson, Developing Young Workforce Coordinator & Teacher at Beath High School added: "Opportunities like this are invaluable for our students. Being able to step inside a major industrial plant and hear directly from people working in different roles really enhances their understanding and career prospects.”

"By supporting the Salters' Institute, we're bringing chemistry and chemical engineering to life and demonstrating to students how science is applied in the real world, as well as the exciting paths it can open up," said John McGuffin, Maintenance Manager at ExxonMobil Fife Ethylene Plant.

"As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of FEP, it feels particularly meaningful to provide young people with real access to such a fun and varied experience of our industry. We want to inspire the next generation, as these students have the potential to shape the future."