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Shape the Future
Over the past 20 years the engineering
community has witnessed a variety of campaigns, projects and
initiatives aimed at improving the perception of engineering,
in particular targeting young people. The Royal Academy of
Engineering launched the Shape the Future
campaign in 2005 and it is now the banner under which the
engineering community has agreed to work together to improve
the promotion, delivery and information systems that will
provide better coordinated support for engineering and
technology in schools and colleges.
As the promotional tool of technology
and engineering in schools, Shape the Future is all
about maximising impact, creating leverage and bringing coherence
to the crowded marketplace. The campaign is now owned by the
wider technology and engineering communities and the steering
group includes representatives from science education and
STEM networks. However we have to engage with more schools
that do not have engineering or technology on their radar
screens if we are to overturn the dearth of young people
who choose engineering as a career.
Campaign Update
STEPS at Work
The partnership with teachers is crucial
to influencing more young people to consider an engineering
career and this has been further enhanced by a joint programme
with the National Education Business Partnerships Network (NEBPN)
to launch Shape the Future STEPS at Work. Each
education business partnership is able to provide teachers with professional
development opportunities through focused business placements
with industry.
The programme operates across primary and
secondary schools, plus FE colleges, and targets science, technology,
engineering and maths (STEM) teacher placements. Placements are
also available to careers specialists and an objective of the
programme is to ensure all STEM teachers are aware of the latest
career opportunities for their students.
STEPS at Work is now in its second year and is
operating across seven of the English regions plus a further pilot
programme in Wales. For more details visit
www.nebpn.org
and click PDP.
The Big Draw
 The Shape the Future campaign supported the
national launch of the October 2007 Big Draw event and also offered a
national challenge called Designing for Sustainability. Across the UK,
25 organisations delivered the challenge to a variety of community groups,
schools and tourist centres, many of whom would not
normally interact with the
world of engineering. Events were held at diverse venues including,
Victoria Baths (Manchester), ss Great Britain and the Architecture Centre
(both Bristol), National Space Centre (Leicester), Souter Lighthouse
(Tyne & Wear), Royal College of Art (London), Layer Marney Tower (NT Essex),
Groundwork Kent and Medway, Fleet Air Arm Museum (Yeovilton) etc.
The Big Draw is a month long series of events throughout October
and this was the first time that engineering had been on the menu
of opportunities. To register for October 2008 and access more details visit
www.campaignfordrawing.org/home/index.aspx.
The Independent Bosch
Technology Horizons Award essay competition is administered by
the Academy under the Shape the Future banner and is now into its
third year. The essay theme this year was - How is technology and
engineering driving change in a country of your choice?
The
presentation of awards celebration will be held at the The Royal Academy
of Engineering on the 4 July.
The short listed finalists in the 14 – 18 age group: Thomas Shelbourn,
Oakham School, Daniel O’Connor Saint Olaves Grammar School Kent, Alex
Docherty Hornsea Sixth Form College, Fiona Robertson Haysfield School
Bath, Beth Squire Gryphon School Sherborne, Christopher Cubitt Ilford
County High School, and Jonathan Stimmler JFS Harrow.
The short listed finalists in the 19 – 24 age group:
Caitlin Pearson University of Durham, Carmel Digweed University of Sheffield,
Jack Sidey University of Exeter, Michael Ellender Keele University,
Alejandro Grabovestsky University of Cambridge, Christopher Maidment
University of Sheffield, and Christopher Ince University of Sheffield.
Future engineering careers magazine
The relationship with Independent Educational Publishing has
led to the publication of Future, a careers magazine published twice per year
that goes to every secondary school, FE college and university careers
department in the UK. Featuring many different engineering disciplines
the magazine it is aimed at 14+ students and is available free from the Academy.
Contact info@shapethefuture.org.uk to obtain your free copy.
Directory of engineering and technology
To help bring coherence to the promotion of engineering
and technology in schools, Shape the Future has produced a directory of
initiatives that will enable teachers to identify the programmes and competitions
that can enhance their subjects in the classroom.
View a pdf of the directory (483KB)
or to receive a hard copy contact info@shapethefuture.org.uk.
Engineering case study booklet
 Tsz Fok (pictured) was a first year Oxford engineering
undergraduate who produced a booklet in 2007 that inspires youngsters to view
engineering as an exciting career option. With a grant from NESTA and support
from Shape the Future, he interviewed well known people in the public eye,
and asked them what they wanted to see developed over the next 50 years.
Tsz's booklet (823KB)
has been so popular that it has now been reprinted. Tragically, Tsz was killed in a
bicycle accident just weeks after publication. His passion for engineering is captured
in this booklet and his family wishes it to be used by young people in his memory.
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