Supported by Airbus, E-ON, the IET, and Thales, Tomorrow’s Engineers will target children who have the potential to do well in maths and science but whose schools are not yet actively engaged in engineering activities. The partnership will bring together programmes provided by the Engineering Development Trust, the Industrial Trust, Primary Engineer, Sentinus, the Smallpeice Trust, STEM Cymru, Young Engineers and Young Engineers & Science Clubs Scotland, and expand them to provide places for an additional 30,000 children in 2010. Tomorrow’s Engineers will also provide funding, services, communications and administrative support to its constituent programmes, enabling them to focus on inspiring students with a better appreciation of engineering and engineering careers.
Reaching out to children, teachers and parents alike, Tomorrow’s Engineers will address the fact that young people’s experiences in their childhood and early teens are a major factor in determining their pursuit of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, with a quarter (28%) of practitioners claiming to have started thinking about a career in STEM before the age of 11 and a further third (35%) between the ages of 12 and 14. 1
Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK, said:
“EngineeringUK, The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust and The Royal Academy of Engineering have developed Tomorrow’s Engineers to inspire young people at an age when it really counts – by engaging them with inspirational engineering activities during their formative years. We hope that the Tomorrow’s Engineers partnership will inspire the next generation of engineers in 2010 and beyond.”
Philip Greenish, Chief Executive of The Royal Academy of Engineering said:
“With so many challenges facing society, it is vital that the nation has a good supply of enthusiastic and innovative engineers and technicians. The Royal Academy of Engineering has supported engineering activities in schools for over 20 years and the new Tomorrow’s Engineers partnership provides a welcome extension to that effort.”
Michael Franklin, Director of The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust, added:
“The UK and the world at large is in desperate need of more top class engineers and scientists to help deal with the immense challenges we face in the 21st Century. This new partnership programme will lead the way in the effort to achieve this objective.”
