Apr 13, 2021
EngineeringUK is inviting the engineering community to take part in the Big Engineering Conversation - a new campaign to encourage discussion and realise the ambition to increase the diversity and number of young people entering engineering.
A series of Talking Points released over the next 3 months will aim to get employers, individual engineers, Professional Engineering Institutions, delivery organisations and anyone else connected to the engineering sector talking and sharing their expertise and insight to propel the change needed to work together and grow the sectors’ collective impact.
‘What have we learnt from delivering engagement activities in a pandemic?’, ‘How can we improve diversity in engineering and why is it important?’ and ‘Why is collaboration so important in inspiring the next generation?’ are just some of the topics to help stimulate debate.
Use the toolkit to get involved
The EngineeringUK team will share their insight and experience in the form of blogs and short videos. For example, the creation of a Virtual Work Experience working group, which comprises of 12 EngineeringUK Corporate Members to find innovative ways to ensure high quality work experience opportunities during the pandemic and pivoting towards a digital-first approach for The Big Bang after the cancellation of the Fair in 2020, will be a couple of areas of focus.
As part of the campaign, EngineeringUK invites the community to engage online and on social media with the hashtag, #BigEngConversation and offer their thoughts and expertise.
They could:
- Share key statistics on social media to bring the topic to life.
- Write a blog including an example or case study.
- Ask a spokesperson from their organisation to record and share key insights.
EngineeringUK has provided a toolkit designed to help organisations and individuals be part of the campaign.
Engineering ambition
According to EngineeringUK research, nearly 50% of 11 to 19 year-olds said they knew little or ‘almost nothing’ about what engineers do. It’s EngineeringUK’s ambition to grow the number and diversity of tomorrow’s engineers, working with the wider engineering community so young people understand the thousands of engineering roles available in the future. From public transport, to tackling climate change and helping the UK achieve its Net Zero aspirations, to working alongside scientists and health care specialists to combat global pandemics, engineering and technology can span a range of exciting careers.
Dr Hilary Leevers, CEO of EngineeringUK, said: “The Big Engineering Conversation is a chance to get everyone sharing ideas and insights to build our collective knowledge. If we’re to realise the ambition of having a greater number of young people enter engineering from a wider range of backgrounds, it’s essential we work together.
“EngineeringUK doesn’t have all the answers and we are always striving to improve. We need more of us working together to achieve our shared ambition, so please consider adding your voice to spark discussion and debate.
“Engineering is a varied, stimulating and important career but we need to work harder than ever to ensure that it’s a career choice that’s accessible for the next generation of young people. A greater diversity in talent and thought in the workforce improves innovation, creativity, productivity, resilience and market insight enabling more of us to benefit from engineering and technology products and services, and also allows young people to improve their own life chances.”
Follow EngineeringUK on Twitter and LinkedIn to share insights, experience and questions using the #BigEngConversation or visit www.engineeringuk.com/bigengconversation for more information.
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