A new programme for schools is aimed at attracting students to the sciences and engineering, writes Dick Ahlstrom
Ireland's engineers are putting a fresh look on their schools awareness programme. Their representative body, Engineers Ireland, will tomorrow launch its new Steps to Engineering programme for schools and announce an expanded programme of events aimed at tempting students into science, maths and engineering careers.
Engineers Ireland industry director Una Parsons oversees the existing Steps (Science, Technology and Engineering Programme for Schools) programme, which started in 2000. Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin will officiate at the re-launch of the programme tomorrow and detail its scope, says Parsons.
"We are changing the way we do things in Steps," she explains. "We are taking all of the knowledge we gained with Steps and the research into how we want to promote the profession."
Formerly the Institution of Engineers of Ireland, Engineers Ireland underwent a make-over earlier this year. It conducted extensive research into itself, looking at the public's "brand awareness" of the organisation, and what people thought about engineers.
The result was a change of name and significant changes in the way it plans to conduct its business with the public in the future. The modernisation of the Steps programme is a follow through on this, says Parsons.
"What we have discovered is there is a huge lack of understanding of what engineers do," she says. "We are really changing our message and trying to entice people into engineering, trying to entice students to take science and maths."
Their interest in this isn't simply an attempt to add to the 21,000 engineers North and South who are members of Engineers Ireland. Our attempts to achieve a knowledge economy will be thwarted if we don't have students moving into the sciences and engineering, says Parsons.
Engineers Ireland has incorporated its research findings into the new Steps to engineering programme. Existing programmes will be expanded and new ways of reaching the public are being considered.
One new idea is to look into the possibility of holding an annual National Engineering Week. Modelled on the recent Science Week Ireland which is organised by Discover Science and Engineering, the engineers hope to run something similar. "We are hoping to pilot this next year in the spring," says Parsons.
Engineers Ireland already had a foray into the area during last autumn's British Association festival of science at Trinity College, she says. It ran a day-long series of engineering events.
The Steps to engineering programme starts at primary school level, she says. It hopes to expand the successful "K'Nex Challenge", doubling the 7,500 primary students who took part last year.
Engineers Ireland is staying with its Magical Science and Engineering Show for primary pupils and the new programme is developing packs for teachers that will help them match the new curriculum while making connections with engineering.