STEM for Schools

Background

Engineers are frequently tasked with promoting the profession to younger generations in primary and post primary education. Often this requires attendance at schools or careers events, partaking in workshops, presenting on opportunities or assuming a key role in question and answer sessions. Engineering is regularly portrayed in the media as the workspace of the hard hat-wearing, high visibility-clothed builder when nothing could be further from the truth. A rewarding career requiring significant organisational skills and a capacity for scientific analysis, opportunities exist in a range of industries including aerospace, construction, consultancy, manufacturing and much more. A significant portion of company leaders possess an engineering background, evidence that it is one of the few professions where skills are transferable from a site office or design office right though to management and leadership.

Summary of capabilities

Martin has on many occasions attended STEM and science events and, in the past, has spoken to many primary and secondary schools in west London about his career path to date. Most recently he partook in a significant STEM event at RAF Northolt where children from many of the surrounding schools visited the station and heard first-hand from his experiences and those of the military personnel at the station. Martin understands the need to pitch the message at the right level and tailors his presentations and contributions accordingly.

Model of a lego EMAS installation

RAF Northolt STEM event (image via Twitter)

As an example, while RAF Northolt undertook a significant runway resurfacing project, part of the overall contract involved the installation of two Engineered Material Arresting Systems at each end of the runway. Incorporating recycled glass and constructed to stop an aircraft from overrunning an airfield boundary, the explanation of its function was an ideal opportunity build a model and demonstrate its performance characteristics. For this, a range of kitchen supplies and Lego were put to good use enabling the station to not only explain the concept to students and teachers but to also to the surrounding community residents.

Benefit

With the ability to speak to a wide range of audiences, Martin’s contributions have served to simplifying difficult or unusual concepts while at the same time providing a message of education and encouragement. Significantly, the concepts applied to STEM events can be applied to informing wider stakeholder groups, either in an educational format or helping to allay any local concerns.