ExxonMobil Fawley and Salters' Institute launch STEM partnership

To enable this shared vision, ExxonMobil Fawley has over £200,000 towards the Salters’ Festivals of Chemistry, an innovative programme of science festivals designed to offer students unique access to hands-on laboratory learning and industry insights that would otherwise be out of reach for most schools.

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.

The programme, which will engage over 300 students aged 13-15 from 12 local schools, began with classroom activities ahead of the eagerly anticipated ‘Discovery Days’.

These laboratory-based sessions, hosted at the University of Southampton and National Oceanography Centre, will grant students the opportunity to engage in practical STEM activities and experiments.

An educational visit to ExxonMobil Fawley, the UK’s largest petrochemical complex, will conclude the initiative and aims to provide participants with insights into the industrial application of chemistry, while also exploring potential career paths.

Teaching staff will also attend Continued Professional Development (CPD) sessions to enhance their subject knowledge and teaching practices.

Dame Mary Archer DBE – Salters’ Institute Chair, said: “We are delighted that our partnership with ExxonMobil Chemical Ltd has allowed us to deliver six additional Festivals of Chemistry Discovery Days in 2025, helping to expand the reach of the Institute and allowing more young people to see the many career opportunities chemical industry has to offer.

“Our collaboration exemplifies the important role industry partnerships play in inspiring future scientists and we hope to continue encouraging future talent together.”

Nick Bone, Site Manager at ExxonMobil Fawley, said: “Through this partnership, we are helping to bring STEM to life by transforming classroom theory into a hands-on experience that reflects real-world and industrial-scale applications.

“We want to inspire the next generation by demonstrating how much chemistry impacts our daily lives, from the medicines we use to the fuels that power our world. These students have the potential to shape the future, and it is a privilege to help them explore the possibilities a career in chemistry and chemical engineering can offer.”