Engineers from companies across the West Midlands are being asked to sign up to help develop and deliver a new project for primary schools, funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Education charity, The Smallpeice Trust and Birmingham Museums Trust are working together on the Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious ‘Mini Pioneers’ project to excite children across Birmingham about Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM). Up to 40 engineers will receive training on outreach to primary school pupils and help inspire the talent of the future. Engineers will be given opportunities to co-create a school STEM activity, be part of the delivery team for the activity and take part in a celebration of engineering at Birmingham Science Museum’s Thinktank.
Research by the IET shows that three quarters of children are aware that engineers build things, whilst two thirds believe that they fix things. Slightly fewer think that they design or invent things, with less than half saying that engineers test things. The more in-depth research suggests that for students on the surface the term engineering is still typically seen as being about maintenance and repairs, and girls seem to engage still less than boys because of this association.
The research demonstrates the importance of STEM outreach projects, as for those who can make the connection with STEM, perceptions are far more positive. It shows that we need to help them recognise that engineering is deeply connected with STEM subjects that many of them enjoy and find interesting.
Volunteering to be part of the Mini Pioneers project will require a commitment of around two days for each engineer, to allow time for training and to support at least one delivery activity. This project offers a range of benefits to the engineer and their employer:
- Developing communications and outreach skills
- Raising the profile of the company among local young people
- Delivering social value or CSR activity with volunteering time
- Supporting continuous professional development
- Providing opportunities to network with other local engineers
Interested individuals or companies should email Neil Noble at [email protected] & [email protected]
The Training Day – Outreach and Engagement Training for Engineers Tickets Fri 29 Apr 2022 at 10:00 are now available via Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/training-day-outreach-and-engagement-training-for-engineers-tickets-308709026007
In-school STEM event dates booked so far.
17/05/2022 Cromwell Junior and Infant School
17/05/2022 Nechells Primary E-ACT Academy
01/06/2022 Christ Church CofE Controlled Primary School and Nursery
14/06/2022 Welford Primary School
16/06/2022 Nelson Mandela School
28/06/2022 St Clare’s Catholic Primary School
The Celebration Day at the Thinktank, Birmingham date is set for the 28th of July 2022.