2. Background
The problem*
• There is a shortage of engineers both globally and in the UK
• 1.86 million job openings will need engineering skills from 2010-2020
• The UK's ability to compete is in jeopardy with contracts going to foreign
companies
• A vast array of industries are affected including medicine, green
technology, sports as well as construction, electronics, automotive etc.
• Global security and national security will rely more on engineers as they
will be needed to develop new technologies to address looming global
energy, food and water shortages.
Some Progress*
• 19% of 12-16 year olds now know what engineers do (up from 11% in
2012)
• 38% of 12-16 year olds see a career in engineering as desirable (up from
29%)
Action Needed*
• We need to double the number of entrants to engineering across all
levels of qualification
• We need to encourage students to take triple science GCSE and improve
uptake of physics A level to keep engineering career choices open
Our role
• Our activities give school students the opportunity to try out being an
engineer and discover the fun and creativity involved.
• Our Membership system retains students and provides them with a range
of activities to progress through, allowing them to develop relevant skills.
*Facts taken from Engineering UK’s State of Engineering report
3. About Young Engineers
• We aim to inspire young people to develop an interest
in engineering, and recognise the potential,
importance and excitement of a career in engineering
• In 2013 over 20,000 students benefitted directly from
Young Engineers activities in 600 schools and youth
organisations around the UK
• We are a not-for-profit company and educational
charity, which can trace its roots back to 1984
• HRH The Duke of York is our Patron
• We collaborate closely with other organisations to
coordinate our efforts. For example we are part of the
Tomorrow’s Engineers partnership and make extensive
use of their careers resources
• We receive no direct Government funding
4. Our current portfolio
We provide a pyramid of offerings to enable students to develop
their engineering interests. At its base we enable large numbers to
experience engineering challenges in real-world contexts and at its
top we celebrate and mentor young people embarking on their
Engineering career
Our current portfolio includes 8 distinct initiatives. Its diversity
gives us a broad appeal, yet we ensure all these activities are:
• Fun!
• Based on real world scenarios
• Convey key STEM* learning opportunities and engineering careers
messages
• Emphasise and encourage creativity, team working, communication and
project planning skills
• Show the next steps that build on the activity being undertaken
• As affordable as possible – most of our activities are free
Launch Pad (9-16) – a starter programme providing activity packs,
engagement ideas and membership items. This package incentivises students’
efforts and helps new groups to build membership and sustain interest
Making Knexions (9-14) - A popular loan kit scheme focusing on
sustainable engineering issues which encourages secondary schools to work
with their partner primary schools.
STEM Challenge Events (9-16) – Our team deliver these events in schools.
Often a taster event which hooks students and the school into more activities
by demonstrating the ease and fun of engaging in our activities.
*Science, Engineering, Technology and Maths
5. Our portfolio cont.
Project Eggs Factor – The Eggtastic Voyage (7-16) – a mission in the
Amazon rain forest is the latest challenge for the delicate eggy flight crew. Videos
of the challenge solutions allow schools to compete and be inspired by each
other without the need to take students off premises.
Krazy Racers – The Koncept Kar (7-18) – an automotive challenge using the
same video entry structure as Project Eggs Factor.
Young Engineers for Britain (12-19) - we challenge students to use their
imagination to create, design, develop and manufacture an original idea for a
commercially viable device or system that meets a useful need they have
identified in this prestigious 30 year old competition. Complete with:
• a mentoring programme with industry experts to support the most
promising entries and help them reach their full potential
• the Intel ISEF Award – 2 projects go to the US to compete internationally
The Renishaw Engineering Experience (16-18) – students practice their
CV writing and interview skills, with winners gaining a unique opportunity to see
behind the scenes of successful Engineering businesses during a fully subsidised
five day package of activities.
All these activities give participants membership of our network:
Membership benefits include
• access to the best online engineering games, quizzes and inspiring articles
• an ideas bank of activities members can easily run themselves
• a support directory showing where members can find out more information
to further their careers – activities and competitions, resource suppliers,
discipline specific information and initiatives, careers information and role
models, sponsorship programmes etc.
• membership items which change annually to reward long term participation
6. Future aspirations
An increase in our annual funding would allow us to:
1. Scale up our operation and reach more students
• We currently reach 20,000 students at 600 schools annually
• Our long-term goal is to reach every school aged student in the UK
• Just four full time and two part time staff manage, develop and
support a nation-wide army of volunteers who deliver our extensive
activity portfolio
• The result is a cost per student intervention of below £20:
best-in-class
• Our services are oversubscribed; additional admin support and an
associate delivery partner scheme would immediately enable an
increase in our output
2. Develop new activities and challenges which will further broaden our
portfolio and appeal to new groups and improve accessibility
• We can further widen our portfolio and broaden our appeal
• We have identified new projects which await new funding for
development. For example:
– An engineering challenge with a drama/theatre setting to show students that
creativity is key to engineering and to encourage them to view STEM subjects
more positively
– A geocache based engineering treasure hunt to pique interest
– A video-based/augmented reality tool kit to help students learn basic concepts
3. Campaign more effectively to include support from local company
and other institution role models for our members
4. Mount PR and marketing campaigns to raise our profile
7. Testimonials
Huge thanks for last week, as previously I received numerous compliments about you and the
activities from Staff and students.
Alex Beech, Midhurst Rother College 2014
Thank you for delivering the Rescue Robots challenge yesterday. The students really enjoyed it
and I've already had 3 students asking if they can take part in other STEM events and want to
start a YE club next year!
Wendy Lockhart, St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy 2014
Thank you very much for visiting Gloucester Academy. Judging from the feedback slips it was
clear they had a challenging but enjoyable experience. Every pupil I spoke to changed their
preconceived ideas of engineering and now see it in a more positive light. I believe they now
understand the importance of teamwork in solving engineering problems. All looking forward
to the next activity
Clayton Gardner, Gloucester Academy, 2014
We as teachers loved the project as did our students and it is something which will use again.
Many thanks for the opportunity in being involved in this project
Ann – Marie Bentley, All Saints Catholic College, 2014
The competitions at the Big Bang Fair are a major motivating factor for students, there is
considerable internal competition between the students to get involved, and the standard of
project work is higher as a result. I believe this is having a significant effect on the recruitment
of students onto my Systems and Technology A-level course, which this year has recruited 8
students when usually the numbers have been 3 to 4.
Paul Gray, Head of Design & Technology, Nottingham High School
Children who attend the Young Engineers Club are more motivated in class, are more likely to
choose triple science when they leave us to go to upper school, and have a greater
understanding of the direction in which they wish to proceed.
The opportunities to showcase work at the Young Engineers Final, offers pupils life skills that
they will never learn in a classroom and these experiences are invaluable.
Our four students (aged 13/ 14) spoke eloquently to the judges for over 40 minutes explaining
their projects. They had no adult support and managed superbly well.
Jo Cox Head of Science, Redmoor Academy, Hinckley
8. Show your support
Your generous support will help sustain our important
work and increase our reach
Supporter packages:
Bronze - £2/month or £50 one-off donation
• be kept abreast of Young Engineers achievements
• a Young Engineers supporter badge
Silver - £10/month or £250 one-off donation
• your support acknowledged on our website
• all benefits from the Bronze level package
Gold - £40/month or £1000 one-off donation
• an invitation to our Annual Celebration of Engineering
presentations
• all benefits from the Silver level package
Platinum - £200/month or £5000 one-off donation
• an award in your name
• a invitation to the patron’s lunch
• all benefits from the Gold level package
To make a donation go to www.justgiving.com/youngengineers
