New online programme explores changing face of engineering

The online programme showcases the need to attract more young people into engineering and technology careers, and to provide effective education programmes and work experience in order for future engineers to gain crucial skills. It features industry insights and interviews with representatives from universities and engineering organisations.

According to the IET Skills Survey 2016, 50% of companies said that typical new engineering and technology recruits do not meet their reasonable expectations. ‘Engineering Around Us’ addresses these issues in order to raise awareness about inspiring the next generation of engineers.

The programme also focuses on engineering as a career and why it is vital to inspire more young people to become interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and consider the vast prospects of a career in the sector.

Alison Carr, IET Director of Policy, who was interviewed in the programme, said: “Our new online programme addresses the current most important challenges we are facing in the engineering and technology industry. In order to get more young people interested in engineering careers we have to increase awareness and show them that there is a huge range of exciting, rewarding and creative opportunities. We hope that this new programme will go some way to help us do this.”

Head of Industry News, ITN Productions, Simon Shelley said: “Engineering’s ubiquity makes it absolutely vital to society. The idea of our partnership with the IET is to use the power of video to explain the role that engineering plays in our everyday lives. But we know that great design and engineering seems so effortless, and it’s so ingrained in our lives that it can sometimes be invisible, and this leads to the continual problem that the engineers that who are literally shaping our future don’t get the credit they deserve – and we face the challenge of attracting more young people to a career in engineering.”

Shelley concluded: “We hope this programme will engage and inform viewers from across the sector and increase awareness of the array of exciting opportunities in engineering.”