TechFest’s Engineer‘n’ Our Live
Materials + Engineers = Products
Every day, engineers use their skills and experience to mould a wide range of materials into objects and structures that solve problems and enhance our daily lives. As we collectively move towards a net-zero future, the expertise of engineers is in high demand. From Mechanical Engineers optimising the design of wind turbines to Electrical Engineers applying their expertise in power storage, each discipline has a part to play in the energy transition.
Yet, as of 2019, only 39% of young people in the UK aged between 14 and 16 said they knew “what they need(ed) to do next in order to become an engineer”. And in some cases, many can’t even see themselves entering the field because it feels daunting, dull, or irrelevant.
However, children have an innate curiosity that makes them natural engineers. By engaging with children early, EOL strives to bridge the gap and shift the perception of engineering as a viable career path by setting interactive, project-based challenges that show pupils:
1) The diverse range of roles in traditional and emerging engineering sub-sectors that are available to them
2) How engineering disciplines of all types help make our lives better, even when we’re not fully aware of it
3) The entire engineering process from design to manufacturing a product and the benefit their unique skill set can bring to each stage
The Engineer‘n’ Our Lives Programme
For over ten years, the EOL programme has introduced school-aged children to various disciplines under the engineering umbrella. And, as of 2024, in collaboration with Energy Transition Zone Ltd (ETZ), we will highlight the transferable skills that engineers are already harnessing to assist in the energy transition, including their work with hydrogen, drones, and reducing carbon emissions.
Split into P1-3, P4-5 and P6-7, pupils from each group take part in four age-appropriate challenges across five days. These interactive challenges include Properties (of Materials), Design, Prototype, and Process. Covering the spectrum of aural, visual, and kinaesthetic learning, the programme links different engineering disciplines to various subjects. So, whether your pupils’ favourite subjects are based on science, literacy, numeracy, or expressive arts, they can learn about the world of engineering and how it is part of their everyday life.
The EOL programme connects, on every level, the skills children are being taught in school to the skills used by engineers in the workplace today. As they are being asked to follow a brief, meet deadlines, solve problems and work as a team, pupils will use an array of meta-skills covering aspects of self-management, social intelligenceand innovation that will help them to become resourceful, resilient, and adaptive as they move forward in their education and future career.
As well as providing a curriculum-linked sustainable legacy that supports teachers’ work in the classroom, the programme has been strengthened by the involvement of over 100 industry professionals. They continue to provide real-world insight into the issues being faced by their sectors and how engineering is a key element in addressing these. Not only are these volunteers involved in providing feedback on the challenges, but they also offer their time to answer pupil’s questions, creating an ever-expanding knowledge base that future classes can use.
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Since 2012, over 18,000 children across Aberdeen City and Shire have participated in EOL, and over 100 industry professionals have kindly donated their time and expertise to support the programme. If you are a school or an industry professional who might like to volunteer as part of this programme please contact Julia Chew – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We hope you will join us on our mission to raise awareness of the opportunities in engineering and foster a new generation of innovators and problem solvers.
