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D21-28 Partnership Program between SMEs and Schools to improve positive global impact

Our focus has been on engineering education; awareness and interest in engineering should be encouraged early in a young person’s education. We need to demonstrate the breadth and impact of engineering as a solution for the future, to those who may miss opportunities otherwise. Only 1/5th of A-level physics entries are from girls, showing that the imbalance has already occurred by this point.

We believe the most inspiring way to do this is to provide a connection between current engineers and students. Our solution is to combine the benefits that industry contacts can have on young people, and the benefits to industry from understanding and learning from tomorrow’s key stakeholders. Young people today are more motivated than ever to solve the big problems that climate change, and historic practices are creating.

Our proposal is a partnership program for children aged 11 – 16 in secondary schools starting at a national level but possible to expand globally. The program involves a specially designed toolkit of materials and prompts for each ability level. Alongside this toolkit, an industry sponsor will set an appropriate challenge with a focus on sustainability and a positive global impact. An example of a toolkit and challenge would be equipment such as lego and an introduction to biomimicry, with the challenge set to learn from nature to create an efficient design for new shaded seating in their playground.

Our idea will amplify the voices of the businesses taking part, which we hope would include many small, unique, entrepreneurs local to their community, whilst also making them introspective on their own involvement in technology, sustainability, and diversity. It will increase student’s awareness of the scope of engineering and begin to provide them with the skills needed to create a positive global impact.

#d2128 #education #partnership #impact

@Molly Ryall Thomson

6 comments

6 Comments

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Oli Pike

Feb 17, 2021

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Hi team, how is everything going for you all? Let me know if you have any thoughts to bounce around.

Thanks,

Oli

Michelle Crees

Feb 20, 2021

Replying to

Hi Oli,

We are sorry for not getting in touch sooner! We have discussed the three main points that you raised about our proposal and were thinking the following:

For the increase to global reach, we were imagining a hierarchy system. This would be where we start with the UK and by building a foundation of our organisation could begin to reach out to schools and companies worldwide. By first reducing the strain on teachers within UK schools, the oldest sixth form students can volunteer to help the youngest years in the initial tasks and lessons to help their university applications. As our program grows, we would send out employees or now experienced teachers form the program to teach regions of different companies in the hands on learning that our organisation encourages along with supplying the necessary materials. These main local teachers can then return to their schools to apply the workshop to their pwn environment and continue the inspiration of engineering and positive global impact subjective to their environment.

In terms on financing the program. We thought it best to aim for a variety of funds. Along with partnering with current charities and NGOs, our biggest link is our connection to industry. Therefore, we would also rely on cooperate responsibilities that dedicate a percentage of their revenue to give back to the people. This can also lead to industry sponsorship, government investment from their education sectors and private or public donations. As a brand we must clearly demonstrate the benefits that can be reaped by our program. Initially when our company starts up, we can charge those schools that can afford to pay for the program in order to subside the costing for less fortunate schools and countries.

Finally, in response to who or what will decide which schools are partnered with what industries, we would turn this responsibility for finding the largest industry link to the school. We would provide resources and background of local large businesses that the students can see first hand account of real life engineering. On the other hand, the links between SMEs that promote a positive global impact and sustainability in their initial engineering journey will be chosen by our central company. A team of researchers can profile and connect school to entrepreneur. As our program globally expands, we hope to set up global offices that can hire a workforce that knows the local business and continue our main aim of students experiencing real engineering. To help with this transition, we can connect with the UK Department for International Development now part of the Foreign Office along with the UN such as UNICEF and their SDGs.

What do you think about these details? We are not sure about how much detail we need in the final proposal in terms of school or company outreach or structure of our outreach?

Thank so much!

Michelle

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