A pupil can figure out that they can make something work, whether it’s a circuit, a robot or a bridge made from straws
backed up by research findings: despite women representing half of the overall workforce in the UK, only 16.9% of the engineering and technology workforce consists of women. Race can be a barrier too, with only 14% of individuals working in engineering and technology coming from minority ethnic backgrounds. Furthermore, just 14% of people working in engineering and technology have a disability, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds account for less than a quarter of professional workers in engineering. From the early years, children
develop a sense of whether they belong in STEM and whether it fits with who they are. One way to begin to address the issue is to ask how much parents, caregivers and teachers understand about STEM. As Laura asks: ‘Who is an engineer? Is it someone who fixes your boiler,
or does it include the diverse range of careers we know about?’ Created by the WISE (Women
into Science and Engineering) Campaign, a free interactive outreach tool called ‘My Skills My Life’ aims to expand pupils’ understanding. Users answer a variety of quiz-style questions that offer insights such as identifying them as an analyst, a creative or an innovator. Based on their results, the platform connects girls with female role models so they can find out what these women do in their jobs, the companies they work for and what that company does. The IET Futures Fund supports
schools in increasing hands-on learning through its First Lego League and IET Faraday Challenge Days. The First Lego League programme, which spans primary and secondary school, introduces pupils to the fundamentals of STEM, allowing them to apply their skills in practical scenarios. IET Faraday Challenge Days are an annual STEM competition that offers young people aged 12 and 13 the chance to work together as engineers to tackle real-world challenges.
An early start The right educational environment
can play an important role in changing outcomes. According to Tej, right from the very start, in Reception class, ‘children should learn in an environment where STEM equals creativity’. This means building, using their hands and spending more time outside. Later, teachers can introduce
concepts and terms as tools for problem solving. For instance, pupils can tackle a real-world issue related to fractions and see how the concept applies. Primary school is perfect for this, because ‘everything is being taught in a way that feels whole and together’, Tej adds. The transition years – 7, 8, and 9
– are another critical point, as pupils study subjects separately for the first time while schools struggle to ‘jigsaw puzzle all the parts together’. Tej suggests that these three years are an ideal time to involve organisations that offer real-world work using STEM skills. Pupils can benefit from work experience days, entrepreneur days and building challenges, which are hands-on and build an understanding of context. However, he acknowledges that
2 MONTH 2024 School Fundraising
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