Some big industry players have already woken up to the need for them to help make SET subjects more attractive to young people and to offer support to teachers.
One of the companies leading the way is BAE Systems. The global aerospace and defence company takes its role in helping create future generations of British engineers very seriously.
The company runs an ‘Education Programme' dedicated to encouraging young people to consider a career in engineering. It includes a schools Roadshow, a dedicated website, an Ambassador Scheme and a competition - ‘The Schools Challenge'.
The ‘Roadshow' is in its fourth year and is currently touring schools across England and Scotland, to date it has visited 355 schools and has reached more than 43,000 young people in the process.
Theatre in Education experts CragRats deliver the Roadshow which revolves around a piece of bespoke theatre. Theatre is a highly effective way of engaging with young people and shows them that engineering is a career path that is open to both boys and girls.
Students then take part in interactive workshops that help embed learning and dispell some of the stereotypes surrounding perceptions of engineering.
Education Programme Director Richard Hamer says: "BAE Systems has a long history of working with schools and values its links with young people and teachers. The Roadshow is designed to bring engineering to life for young people and to do so in an inspiring and engaging way.''
The Roadshow is supported by a dedicated website that offers a wealth of resources. Teachers can access over 40 curriculum- aligned lesson plans that are searchable by age group, school year and subject. Claire Awty, Head of Multimedia at CragRats says:
"This website is the first port of call for young people, teachers and parents looking for information on engineering. It offers interactive resources, supported by lesson plans and work sheets. Teachers get everything they would need to confidently deliver a lesson in 15 minute blocks using white-boards or PC's. For students, the resources are age specific with the emphasis on making the learning fun."
Schools looking to support students who are interested in engineering can also make use of the ‘Ambassador scheme'. They can run activities, support in-school initiatives and provide information on work experience and career opportunities within BAE Systems.
Also on the website are details of the Schools Challenge, a competition that ties in with the Roadshow. Students are being asked to design a piece of scrap art made from recyclable materials. Incentives include £200 worth of vouchers for ICT equipment and a trophy for the winners. Teachers can find out more about entering via the website.
The Education Programme looks to offer a robust and complete package but as with any project of this nature, questions of efficacy arise however, results appear to speak for themselves. In an evaluation of the 2006 Roadshow, 90% of young people who experienced the programme said that it ‘made them think about engineering in a more positive way.'
Looking to the future, Richard Hamer said: "This programme has the ability to create a legacy and help reverse the trend for declining numbers of students choosing SET subjects. We are committed to supporting big-picture engineering and believe this project demonstrates this to students, teachers and parents."
For more information see:
http://www.baesystemseducationprogramme.com/
