Today, we were delighted to welcome Lesley from Nissan, who gave the children a fascinating insight into the world of car manufacturing, Japanese culture and the exciting career opportunities available within the automotive industry.
Lesley began by telling us about the different types of cars manufactured at Nissan’s Sunderland plant. We were amazed to discover just how enormous the factory is, with enough space to fit approximately 10 Metro centres inside! She explained the different stages of car production, including how metal components are welded together and how robots play a vital role on the production line, particularly when carrying out tasks that could be dangerous for workers.
The children were fascinated by some of the incredible facts Lesley shared. Did you know that it takes approximately 10 hours to manufacture a car, just 14 minutes to spray-paint it, and that a single car contains around 2,700 parts? We were also surprised to learn that approximately 6,000 people work at the Nissan factory!
Lesley encouraged the children to think about their future aspirations and explained how important their learning in school is when preparing for the world of work. She highlighted the value of developing strong skills in maths, English and computing, particularly for those who may wish to pursue a career at Nissan in the future.
As Nissan originated in Japan, we also enjoyed learning about Japanese culture and traditions. We explored the Japanese flag and its connection to the rising sun, before learning how to greet someone in Japanese using the phrase “Konnichiwa”. Lesley also introduced us to Children’s Day, celebrated in Japan on 5th May. We discovered how families celebrate children and display colourful carp-shaped streamers, known as koinobori, which traditionally represent members of the family.
The children then had the opportunity to take part in a practical challenge, using chopsticks to pick up pom-poms of different sizes. This was a fantastic activity that encouraged concentration, perseverance and fine motor skills, with plenty of determination and laughter along the way!
To make our visit even more exciting, Lesley kindly left us a box of activities to complete back in school. We are particularly looking forward to setting ourselves goals, working collaboratively to build a car and designing our very own Pokémon characters!
It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to broaden their understanding of the world around them, explore different cultures and begin thinking about their future ambitions.
A huge thank you to Lesley and Nissan for such an engaging, informative and inspiring visit.
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