What an Act to Follow!

SATRO's longest serving member of staff retires today - at only 85 years young! We wish Gordon Cockburn all the very best and thank him for his fantastic work over many years to inspire and encourage young people.

Gordon began work on the shop floor in the engineering industry in Sunderland and worked his way up to the design office. In 1956 he went into teaching and became Faculty Head of Technical Studies at the Ashcombe School, Dorking.  In 1986 he joined SATRO on a part-time basis, to pilot Young Engineers Clubs in Surrey, and in 1990 he was  appointed National Director of Young Engineers Clubs by the Standing Conference on Schools’ Science and Technology (SCSST) and was involved in setting up the Neighbourhood Engineers Programme which encouraged engineers and scientists to volunteer to work with young people in schools (subsequently becomming the STEM Ambassadors scheme in later years). Both these programmes now reach tens of thousands of young people every year across the UK.

In 1995 he was awarded an MBE (for services to education) and began the Young Entrepreneurs programme, which again was subsequently rolled out nationally. 

In 2001 Gordon 'retired' from running Young Entrepreneurs to manage Surrey County Scholars and Surrey County Apprentices award, on a part-time basis. Since 2001 Gordon has secured funding for, on average, 15 new bursaries every year – enabling approximately 150 young people to go on to University to study science, technology, engineering and maths – many of these young people have since graduated and taken up employment for STEM companies in Surrey (and globally). In addition, as part of the Annual awards, approx 160 apprentices have received recognition for their hard work and dedication by receiving Awards.

We salute Mr Cockburn - a true example of what SATRO is all about - and we will all do our best to follow in his footsteps and carry on the wonderful work he has done.