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'Inspired by engineering' project

http://www.inspiredbyengineering.com

NFEC website
Participating institutions
The role of the Engineering Council UK (ECUK)

The 'Inspired by engineering' pilot project has been developed by the National Forum of Engineering Centres (NFEC) in liaison with ECUK and is being funded by ETB. It is principally aimed at encouraging FE learners into professional institution membership, with registration as the ultimate goal. Another objective is to encourage more teaching staff into institution membership and registration. Importantly, it will develop effective ways of reaching FE sector engineering learners and staff using curriculum resources.

Ofsted and others have identified a lack of learner awareness of the wider context of courses. Learners may well simply 'be doing engineering' with little idea of career possibilities, wider fields of engineering, prospects for advancement and professional qualifications. Requirements for learners to explore such aspects are increasingly being embedded in post-14 qualification specifications. The project has developed resource materials (worksheets) to fill this gap - investigation tasks that learners complete as part of tutorials/ careers education / other course requirements within the day-to-day curriculum, not as an add-on. Supporting tutor resources are provided. All materials, along with resources and links provided by participating ECUK- licensed institutions, are posted on the web and available for use by anyone, not just those within the pilot centres.

The pilot project aims to engage 500+ learners within, initially, eleven centres:

North East

Newcastle College

Gateshead College

North West

St Helen's College

Partnership for Learning

Midlands

Sutton College

Warwickshire College

London & South East

North/West London

Thames Gateway

 

IPS International

 

South West

North Devon College

City of Bristol College

The initial activities, and tutor support resources, cover the following topic areas:

  • What engineering is and how it impacts on all aspects of our daily lives.
  • The many different types of engineer, and what engineers do.
  • Pathways to professional recognition.
  • Career prospects within the engineering sectors.
  • Professional engineering institutions, what they do and the benefits they provide.
  • How to apply for membership of an institution.
  • What registration as a professional engineer or engineering technician is about.
  • Professional development mapping.