A Norwich teen who dreams of designing thrill rides has been given the chance to work behind the scenes on one of the UK’s oldest rollercoasters.
Great-Yarmouth-Pleasure-Beach-has-re-opened- (1)
Adam Fowler, 17, admits he is obsessed with rollercoasters and wants to become a CAD designer - creating theme-parks and attractions the world over.
The engineering student at University Technical College Norfolk (UTCN), off Hall Road, has moved a step towards fulfilling his ambition with a summer job and placement at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach.
Among the rides he got to work on was the park’s famous traditional wooden roller coaster that opened in 1932.
Adam, who lives in Norwich, said: “I really enjoyed the experience and learned an awful lot about the rollercoaster, other rides and how operations are carried out.
“They took me around the inside of the rollercoaster and showed me how the systems have been changed and redone over the years.
“My foot is now in the door in the industry so I hope this will help.”
He has been working on a project to design and manufacture his own 3D-printed coaster to scale as part of his UTCN course and wanted to get some real-world experience of being part of a theme park team.
Pleasure Beach director Aaron Jones helped arrange an opportunity for him to spend time with their engineering team and is now exploring future training and apprenticeship opportunities for him too.
“We will do all we can to help him achieve his ambitions. It helps him grow his skills base and ensures our industry has a pipeline of talent, knowledge, and imaginative employees to keep it thriving,” he said.
Fellow Pleasure Beach director, Jamie Jones, added: “Adam’s appreciation and knowledge of rollercoasters is growing. The team here enjoyed sharing their knowledge with him and giving him an insight into how the ride operates.
“I would not be surprised if we have a ride designed by him here in future years.”
Sophie Skipp, employer engagement coordinator at UTCN, said: “For him to have this opportunity to learn from experts while also gaining a valuable insight into the theme-park industry and the world of work has been fantastic.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here