Big Engineering Conversation campaign launched to inspire young people into the sector

EngineeringUK is inviting the engineering community to take part in the Big Engineering Conversation – a new campaign to encourage discussion and help increase the diversity and number of young people entering the sector.

A series of talking points released over the next three months will aim to get employers, individual engineers, professional engineering institutions, delivery organisations and those connected to the engineering sector talking and sharing expertise and insight to drive the change that is needed to inspire the next generation of engineers.

The EngineeringUK team will share its insight and experience in the form of blogs and short videos. The creation of a virtual work experience working group, comprising 12 EngineeringUK corporate members, will also aim to find innovative ways to ensure high quality work experience opportunities remain available throughout the pandemic and discuss a digital-first approach for the Big Bang event after the cancellation of the fair in 2020.As part of the campaign, EngineeringUK invites the community to engage online and on social media with the hashtag #BigEngConversation and offer their thoughts and expertise.

Particpants could:
• Share key statistics on social media to bring the topic to life.
• Write a blog, including a case study.
• Ask a spokesperson from their organisation to record and share key insights.

According to EngineeringUK research, nearly 50% of 11 to 19 year-olds said they knew little or almost nothing about what engineers do. It’s EngineeringUK’s ambition to grow the number and diversity of tomorrow’s engineers, working with the wider engineering community so that young people are aware of the thousands of engineering roles available in the future. From public transport, to tackling climate change and helping the UK achieve its net zero aspirations, to working alongside scientists and health care specialists to combat global pandemics, engineering and technology can span a range of exciting careers.Dr Hilary Leevers, CEO of EngineeringUK, said: “The Big Engineering Conversation is a chance to get everyone sharing ideas and insights to build our collective knowledge. If we’re to realise the ambition of having a greater number of young people enter engineering from a wider range of backgrounds, it’s essential we work together.

“EngineeringUK doesn’t have all the answers and we are always striving to improve. We need more of us working together to achieve our shared ambition, so please consider adding your voice to spark discussion and debate.

“Engineering is a varied, stimulating and important career but we need to work harder than ever to ensure that it’s a career choice that’s accessible for the next generation of young people. A greater diversity in talent and thought in the workforce improves innovation, creativity, productivity, resilience and market insight enabling more of us to benefit from engineering and technology products and services, and also allows young people to improve their own life chances.”