Lets do Engineering

The UK needs more engineers, and more diverse engineers. While multiple initiatives have targeted older pupils research has demonstrated that stereotypes and misconceptions formed at early years have a large impact on interests and career choices. Studies have indicated that young children perceive engineers as male, wearing hard hats and working with machinery, vehicles and construction. At age five children have a gendered view of who can play with particular toys or do certain occupations; this can often influence girls abilities to access STEM learning as well as their confidence and interest.

Let's do Engineering aimed to tackle this challenge, inspiring 3-7 year olds through innovate activities codeveloped with teachers and carers.

Through EPSRC's Engagement champions award, Dr Helen Bridle and her team trained 20 engineers, engaged over 400 educators, and reached more than 5000 children across 39 schools and 21 nurseries.

Engaging this young age group required an understanding of how children learn as well as how to empower current engineers to share their roles in innovative ways. By creating partnerships with multiple creative practitioners, including musicians, artists, film makers, circus performers and drama and dance specialists, the team of engineers and creatives generated a range of cross-curricular engineering-related resources and activities. Engineer role model films and interviews and an engineer top trumps game highlight the breadth and diversity in engineering, while an interactive silent film and an animated song serve as an excellent introduction to engineering.

The Engineer Song has received over 1.2 million views, with over 5000 children in Scotland participating in Let's do Engineering activities, delivered in their educational setting. All children also received a copy of the Let's do Engineering activity and sticker book, which celebrates the diversity and breadth of engineering with an activity page for each of the Let's do Engineering engineer role models, that was taken home to continue engagement and involve families.

If you would like to know more about the project, or get involved, check out the Let's Do Engineering website.

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