Students’ thoughts on the future of engineering
by Educate Magazine November 8, 2022 · Education News
Young people from across the UK have come together to imagine a better future as part of the 10th annual ‘Tommorow’s Engineers Week’ (7 to 11 November).
More than 50 students shared their ideas about how engineering will influence the next decade.
This includes use of rewilding to increase biodiversity, improved CHI to create more engaging content and mechanical bees to increase pollination levels.
The Future Minds Broadcast will be viewed by thousands of UK students through online and in-class discussions.
Students will go on to propose more ideas and vote on their favourites.
The top ideas from young people about how engineering will help shape entertainment, the environment, technology and sport in the next 10 years are:
- rewilding projects to increase biodiversity
- biofuels for power
- enhance CGI to create more engaging content
- render films and TV in 360° view for a more immersive experience
- develop mechanical bees, to increase pollination levels
- improve space travel, to allow us to share resources with other planets in the future
- develop prosthetics to make sport more accessible for people with physical impairments
- improve data from fitness apps, so that users can enhance their performance
Since its inception in 2012, hundreds of thousands of young people have been involved in Tomorrow’s Engineers Week.
The week highlights to young people that engineering is a creative, problem solving, exciting career that improves the world around us in a variety of ways.
Thorn hill College in Derry, Northern Ireland, look part in the Future Minds Broadcast.
Elaine Rooney, a teacher at the college, said: “We are delighted that our students have been able to take part in this fantastic event which highlights the exciting opportunities that are available and helps our pupils appreciate that they can really shape the future.”
EngineeringUK organises Tomorrow’s Engineers Week.
Dr Hilary Leavers, chief executive of EngineeringUK, said: “Young people are such an inspiration and hearing their thoughts on how engineering can shape the world around us in the next decade has been enlightening.
“It’s ideas and conversations like those in the Tomorrow’s Engineers Week Future Minds Broadcast that spark inspiration and can result in real differences to everyone’s futures.
“Engineering improves the world around us in so many vital ways, and we’re thrilled to give young people this opportunity to use their voices and ideas to help shape the future.
“I hope that students across the UK this week will see that engineering could offer them a rewarding career in a field of their choice.”
The Tomorrow’s Engineers Week Future Minds Broadcast is available to watch here.
All schools across the UK can watch the broadcast and engage with the conversation.
A lesson plan is available after watching the broadcast and schools will get the opportunity to vote on their favourite featured ideas.
They can then submit their own thoughts on where engineering is headed in the future.
