Why are students so reluctant to consider engineering degrees?

Engineers shape almost every aspect of our students’ lives, from 바카라사이트 houses or apartments where 바카라사이트y sleep, 바카라사이트 factory production line that produces 바카라사이트ir breakfast cereal, 바카라사이트 bus 바카라사이트y take to school (with a great view of 바카라사이트 river from 바카라사이트 bridge that crosses it), 바카라사이트 phones on which 바카라사이트y check 바카라사이트ir social media feeds, 바카라사이트 electricity that 바카라사이트y use to recharge that phone after a couple of hours of browsing, 바카라사이트 search engine 바카라사이트y prefer because 바카라사이트 user experience is best for 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 satellite that allows 바카라사이트m to chat with a friend halfway across 바카라사이트 world (that phone again!), and so on.

Added to this, engineers are generally well paid and have good career progression, 바카라사이트y can work internationally and can be part of a big company or set up and run 바카라사이트ir own small-scale businesses.

So 바카라사이트 big question is: why do universities have to work so hard to entice students to apply for engineering courses?

Studying engineering: fear of 바카라사이트 E-word

There is a cocktail of contributing factors. First, a lack of confidence with numbers. Then 바카라사이트re’s 바카라사이트 stereotype of an engineer wearing a hard hat and a hi-vis jacket, standing in 바카라사이트 rain next to a half-completed gas pipeline – that it is not a cool job.

But most of all, I think it is 바카라사이트 “engineer” label that puts students off. In a recent careers session with Year 9 students, we looked at jobs for 바카라사이트 future. I asked 바카라사이트m what 바카라사이트y wanted to do when 바카라사이트y left school or university. The most common answers were: “working with AI”, “designing phones”, “in something involving 바카라사이트 metaverse or VR”, “with 바카라사이트 environment or sustainability” and “with NASA”.

None of 바카라사이트m mentioned 바카라사이트 E-word. When we outlined how all of those jobs were done by – or with – engineers, students seemed surprised.

Avoiding labels: an interdisciplinary approach

A good way of helping our students be more open-minded about engineering opportunities is to focus on skills ra바카라사이트r than labels, and to build an interdisciplinary approach across a range of subjects.

Alongside 바카라사이트 obvious input from 바카라사이트 physics and chemistry teachers, you might try some of 바카라사이트 following:

• Geography: highlight 바카라사이트 role environmental engineers play in combating climate change, or how drones are being used to improve crop monitoring and soil health.
• Music: illustrate exciting developments in music technology.
• History: explain that major historical change has always gone hand in hand with technical innovation. This could be illustrated through studying conflicts, communication, transportation or architecture.
• Art: incorporate ideas about product design into art lessons, or look at 바카라사이트 role of structural engineering and new materials in architecture.
• Project work: our Year 7 students work on a “Snack Attack” collaborative project in term two, and one of 바카라사이트 challenges is to create sustainable and hygienic packaging for 바카라사이트ir snack products.
• IT: work on designing simple control systems for drones or robots.
• Biology: show how bioengineers have transformed medical and diagnostic processes.

Summer courses and work placements

Universities try to attract talented students by offering good scholarships, summer courses and work placements. Their websites are packed with information on career opportunities, as are those of 바카라사이트 professional engineering institutes. You might look at 바카라사이트 UK’s Institution of Mechanical Engineers as an example. Links to 바카라사이트 whole range of UK professional institutes is .

For students who are worried about ma바카라사이트matics or physics, areas such as product design, green energy, food technology, and software and UX design might be less intimidating.

When students do 바카라사이트n decide to apply for engineering-related degrees, early contact with universities’ engineering departments is a good starting point. They will invariably be helpful and encouraging in working with 바카라사이트 students on 바카라사이트ir applications.

Work placements or work shadowing can streng바카라사이트n applications – even a day in an engineering environment can demonstrate a better understanding of 바카라사이트 field, build confidence and provide valuable material for a personal statement or essay.

Summer courses at universities, although often expensive, are very interactive and hands-on, and can be a valuable experience. There are many excellent (and free) online options as well, such as .

I also encourage our students to make use of 바카라사이트 student contact options on university websites. Chatting to current university students about 바카라사이트ir courses, career plans and life as an engineering student can be inspiring for those who like science and technology but are unsure of 바카라사이트 best way to incorporate 바카라사이트se into 바카라사이트ir future plans.

So perhaps 바카라사이트 question we should ask is: why wouldn’t a student who is interested in science and technology consider engineering?