READY to inspire

Cummins has launched a global community education strategy, called Cummins READY, aimed at empowering at least one million learners and workers by 2030. Below, Peter Barron learns more.

When he left school on the North East Coast, David Hodgson had no idea what career he wanted to pursue – he wasn’t ready for the next step.

“Back then, schools just weren’t designed to inspire young people to explore the exciting opportunities available to them in engineering, so I didn’t really have a clue what I wanted to do with my life,” he admits.

(Image: Cummins)

Today, in contrast to those uncertain teenage years, David is a man on a mission as a volunteer Education Officer at Cummins’ Darlington campus, with a passion for using his own experiences to inspire the next generation.

And it has the ideal platform to do so, with the global energy technology leader launching a bold new educational initiative, called Cummins READY, aimed at positively impacting communities around the world.

Described as the largest education project Cummins has ever undertaken, the ambition is to have a significant impact on at least one million learners and workers by 2030, with David tasked with ensuring Darlington delivers its full potential. role.

There is an emphasis on STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) with an ethos built around inclusiveness.

“Cummins READY is a fantastic initiative that highlights Cummins’ global commitment to educating and addressing local community challenges, and I’m excited to see the impact it’s having here in Darlington,” says David.

He grew up in Redcar. His father, Chris, was a multi-skilled process technician at ICI, while his mother, Deborah, worked in NHS administration.

With no career plans, he gained work experience as a gym teacher, but his life changed when he spoke to two men at the leisure centre where he worked. One was a Royal Marine who specialised in driving speedboats, and the other was in the RAF.

“Talking to these two men was a real lightbulb moment for me: I loved the sound of what they were doing, so I headed to the Armed Forces Careers Office in Middlesbrough,” David recalls. Based on his strengths at school, engineering was suggested and his career took off from there. He served for eight years in the RAF, working as a technician on fast jets and travelling the world.

(Image: Cummins)

After the RAF he worked as a mechanical engineer at the Lackenby Steelworks for a few years, before circulating his CV and being invited for an interview by Cummins. “It opened my eyes to the scale of the operation and I was afloat from the start,” he says.

David joined Cummins in 2010 as a Service Technician and has since enjoyed working there, rising to the position of OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Account Manager. It’s a busy role, at the heart of Europe’s largest Cummins factory, but he also wanted to play his part in the company’s wider social activities.

Every Cummins employee has four hours a year to volunteer in the community, and when the opportunity to become an education manager was advertised internally, he jumped at the chance.

“If I hadn’t met these two men at the rec center, my life might never have taken the direction it did. This is why I now want to be able to influence the lives of young people, too,” he explains. “Being responsible for education is for me an opportunity to give something back. »

Under David’s leadership, the Darlington campus has been heavily involved in a range of educational initiatives and events, including being the main sponsor of STEMFest for the past two years. Held at the Darlington Arena in March, the event, which provided valuable insight into STEM careers, involved 40 businesses and was attended by 1,500 children.

(Image: Cummins)

Through its Women’s Empowerment Network, Cummins is working to encourage young girls to pursue engineering. International Women’s Day was celebrated at the Darlington plant in March and on June 20, it will host Women in Engineering Day.

“Diversity is fundamental to everything we do, and one of my main goals is to break down the remaining barriers to gender equality,” says David. “There is still a stigma in schools against girls in engineering, but our message is that we are open to all.”

On May 24, an ‘Introduction to Cummins’ event was held on campus for primary school leaders and, on July 9, a ‘Community Classroom’ event will take place, with 150 schoolchildren from Years 8 and 9 invited to take part in a day of experience.

The Darlington campus employs over 1,700 staff and in 2023 they invested over 10,000 volunteer hours in the local community, including 2,800 for educational purposes, and have established links with 50 schools. With the launch of Cummins READY, David is determined to make an even bigger impact this year.

“My aspiration is to build on these statistics by going to more schools and attracting more schools to the site,” says the father of three.

“We live in a region where many innovations are underway in terms of new forms of energy and improving air quality. This technology will be part of our children’s lives. It’s their future, so we want them to participate in building it. »

“We hope that along the way we can create those lightbulb moments. Even if we change just one child’s life, it will be worth it.”

(Image: Cummins)

Last year, David organized a major school visit, alongside Jessica Highfield, Cummins Communications Coordinator and Chair of the Women’s Empowerment Network Darlington.
During a Q&A session after a tour of the site, a 6th grader raised his hand. He didn’t ask a question, he just said, “You made me want to do this.”

“Jess and I were both speechless because it meant so much,” David says.
For a little boy from Darlington, a light went on – and that’s exactly what Cummins READY represents.

Driving Cummins READY around the world

TWO women with a shared passion for education are at the forefront of the Cummins READY campaign around the world.

Danette Howard, the company’s Global Director of Education, Corporate Responsibility, has an illustrious background in education, including serving as Secretary of Higher Education in Maryland.

Although Danette is the global leader of Cummins READY, she has the support of Emily Johnson, Director of Corporate Responsibility for Europe.

And they both describe David Hodgson as “a great example” of how Cummins employees are embracing the new campaign.

“It’s a mission that our employees care deeply about,” says Emily. “Before the launch, people even called us while on vacation to volunteer to participate. This is how we know we have touched an area that sparks real pride and passion. »

For Danette, Cummins READY adds a new dimension to the company’s long history of supporting educational opportunities in communities around the world.

“Cummins READY is about taking what we’ve done historically and developing a more comprehensive strategy focused on measurable impact,” she says.

“The goal of reaching at least one million people is ambitious – the scale of the operation is enormous – but the goal is achievable if we leverage our expertise and resources and find the right partners to work with We.

“STEM is not just about engineering, it is about creativity, collaboration and teamwork, and the result will be that our communities will be stronger, more competitive and more viable, as people work for Cummins or not.

(Image: Cummins)

“We not only need to ensure that students are ready, but also that our communities, as well as our schools and colleges, are ready to facilitate their success.

In Darlington and other cities around the world, Cummins’ innovation and global impact often go unnoticed and underappreciated.

People drive past factories like the one in Yarm Road, Darlington, without really appreciating the overall impact they are making, but Danette insists it is the company’s job to educate people about it. that happens behind the scenes.

“It’s not the responsibility of local residents to know what’s going on behind the walls of our buildings,” she says. “It’s our responsibility to let people know about Cummins and bring them into our community, so they feel part of a company that’s powering the world from their own community.”