The Morson STEM Foundation: Impact Report
Our purpose is to positively impact lives every day, and every member of the Morson Group is driven to fuel innovation, empower industry and enable opportunities for people.
Delivering measurable impact
With the earliest elements dating back to 2015, The Foundation is delivered through the long-standing partnership with The University of Salford and the Morson Maker Space who bring together a programme of activity in collaboration with regional skill providers, local employers, and industry stakeholders to raise the profile of STEM nationally. This has been implemented through strong links with the university and continuous improvement.
The Morson STEM Foundation allows Morson to give back to our local community by underpinning the civic university agenda supported by The University of Salford and four other Higher Education institutions of Greater Manchester as we work together on education, skills and the digital economy to sustain the future.
Our first ever Impact Report aims to consolidate all elements of the Foundation and measure its impact on the wider community, as Morson Group CEO Ged Mason says:
“As anyone passionate about anything will know, the desire to keep driving forward can prevent us from taking the time to look back. But pausing to review past efforts with curiosity can fuel progress, unlocking insights that illuminate future work. This is the thinking behind our inaugural Impact Report, which documents and evaluates the results of our educational partnerships and social initiatives from 2022 to the completion of this report in 2024, and outlines our ambitions for 2025 and beyond.”
READ THE FULL IMPACT REPORT HERE
The Morson STEM Foundation: Overview
The Morson Maker Space
A cornerstone of the Morson STEM Foundation is the state-of-the-art Morson Maker Space facility which forms part of the University of Salford‘s new £65 million Science, Engineering & Environment Building. The facilities have been designed to provide students with opportunities to explore new ideas and innovate, gaining hands-on experience with the types of equipment they can expect to use when they move from education into the workplace.
58 training days were delivered to staff and students in the Morson Maker Space in 2022 alone..
Gerry Mason Engineering Scholarships
Morson Group established the Gerry Mason Engineering Excellence Scholarship in 2015, in memory of Morson founder Gerry Mason, a design engineer himself. The scholarship continues his legacy by enabling budding engineers from under-privileged backgrounds to study degree-level courses rooted in STEM.
The goal of the scholarship at the University of Salford has been to help young people from across the country reach their full potential, by removing financial and social barriers to attending university. Since 2015 we have granted 54 scholarships, and of those 37 scholars have now graduated.
Primary Engineer
The STEM Foundation has partnered with Primary Engineer’s Rail Programme for the next three years to support future STEM curricula in Greater Manchester schools. This partnership connects Morson Group’s engineering arm, Morson Projects, with schools across the Greater Manchester area, offering an engaging introduction to STEM and engineering skills to spark interest in STEM subjects from an early age.
100 primary students have so far attended their in-school Primary Engineer Rail programmes across 10 Greater Manchester schools
IntoUniversity
In 2023, over 130 IntoUniversity students participated in four dynamic STEM workshops hosted by the Maker Space. Pupils from across different school levels were able to explore the exciting world of engineering and actively take part in the STEM revolution. Every maker workshop is carefully designed to stimulate creativity, technology skills, and engineering aptitude.
Salford Racing
Salford Racing, the University of Salford’s Formula Student team part-funded by Morson Group, took part in the 2024 IMechE Formula Student competition with their custom-designed racing car. Salford Racing gives everyone professional experience in motorsport engineering and welcomes students from all backgrounds, regardless of degree choice, with the aim of providing professional skills to those dedicated to being part of the project.
63 students took part in Salford Racing in 2023-24, with the team finishing 8th in the world in the international Formula Student event in July 2024.
GoBeyond
Go Beyond was established in 2020 to nurture final-year female engineering students at the University of Salford by connecting them with industry mentors. It provides mentees with vital mentoring, an industry role model, and a safe place for conversations, helping them to Go Beyond the university to secure a job in industry.
248 female students have benefitted from ‘women into STEM’ since GoBeyond launched in 2019
