2018’s Year of Engineering reviewed
15 March 2019
Following on from 2018’s Year of Engineering educational campaign, experts are hoping that the number of young people choosing a career in the field will rise.
The Year of Engineering was established by the government to educate and inspire 7-16 year olds to consider a future in engineering, with an estimated 200,000 new engineers needed through to 2024 in order to meet demand.
Over the course of 2018, more than 1,400 campaign partners - including household names such as Apple, Lego and Marvel - delivered over a million direct experiences of engineering for children.
Research conducted after the first six months of the campaign showed that the number of young people who would consider a career in engineering increased by 36 per cent amongst 7-11 year olds and 9 per cent amongst 11-16 year olds. Amongst 7-11 year old girls, the number increased by an impressive 56 per cent.
Commenting on the success of the campaign, Peter Finegold, Head of Education at the Institution of Mechanical Engineering (IMechE), said:
“The Year of Engineering showed how having visible government backing for engineering made it easier for employers, STEM providers, education and professional organisations to join forces and march under the same banner - something engineering desperately needs.
“The spirit of cooperation and partnership generated throughout 2018, together with the independence that government involvement has brought, should ensure that the ripples from the Year of Engineering will be felt for some time to come.”
The government is continuing the Year of Engineering campaign under the brand ‘Engineering: Take a closer look’.
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