Engineering as a career option

[Tinkers]

Tinkers - please also remember that technology (coding and related jobs) is an amazing career for females. They tend to be very successful, being able to merge maths with soft skills, and it's a great career for flexibility when that is needed.

I actually do and have done a fair bit of coding as part of my various jobs. My sister in law also does a fair amount of coding as part of her job too. (I'm not sure if you intended to make that comment to me or the OP?)

First Lego league involves (as part of the competition) designing and coding a robot to complete various tasks. You also don't have to be a school to enter. If you can get enough kids together (up to 10) you can enter a team.

[Blitz]

Blitz - thrilled to hear your daughter was at the Outbox Incubator! How did she get along? Without outing myself, I was a little bit connected to it and they looked to be loving it.

She loved her 2 weeks in the house and had so many amazing experiences from hearing about careers in aviation engineering in the RAF, visits to Bloomberg bank, talks from Chuka Ummuna and Dame Stephanie Shirley to fantastic in-house workshops of how to set up a tech-based company, how to pitch ideas and create prototypes.

She loved the lectures and living in the house (it sounded a bit like 'The Apprentice' house... just as well she did not compare it to the Big Brother house!) Even the skill of travelling to London on her own was a great experience.

She has met up with the Stemettes since at the Big Bang Science Fair in Birmingham. It certainly was an amazing opportunity.

The Stemettes really do a first class job at promoting STEM opportunities for girls and offering continued support with the girls' projects and career aspirations.

[CestMoi]

Sorry Tinkers - I meant the OP, not you! I could sense a fellow coder there

Blitz - you must be so proud of her. I saw the girls in action and I must say that they were brilliant. Their poise and ability astounded me.

I will also look at the first lego league.

[Reading Mum]

please also remember that technology (coding and related jobs) is an amazing career for females. They tend to be very successful, being able to merge maths with soft skills, and it's a great career for flexibility when that is needed.

I would definitely echo this - I have been in 'IT' for nearly 30 years now and was able to work both part time and from home when my DD was younger.

[Blitz]

My DD has just been sent an email about a Smallpeice Trust engineering course for Y10 girls:

Engineering Experience £FREE
Autumn Residential Course: 24th - 28th October, Females only, Year 10
RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire
Sponsored and hosted by the Royal Air Force, this placement will be held at RAF Cranwell station and is completely FREE for students.

There will be no cost involved apart from the cost of transport to and from RAF Cranwell on the first and last day. Food and accommodation during the week will be provided along with any items of specialist clothing. You will be supervised at all times by qualified and DBS cleared staff from the RAF and its partner organisations.

During the placement, you will meet and work with real RAF engineers as well as industry experts, drawing on their knowledge and putting your new skills into practice. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain real life answers from engineering professionals.

You will improve skills in team building, time management and budgeting by taking place in a design-and-make projects throughout the week. You will also make new friends and gain confidence by partaking in group and social activities.

In addition to all of this, you will be awarded an industry recognized Bronze CREST Award from The British Science Association for the time spent designing and building your projects.

Please use the application form to apply and send to: amif@smallpeicetrust.org.uk or post to our office address below:

RAF Cranwell Application form Oct 2016

The Smallpeice Trust

Holly House

74 Upper Holly Walk
Leamington Spa
Warwickshire

CV32 4JL

Closing date for applications: 21st September

[ToadMum]

I took DD and DS2 to the Ove Arup exhibition at the V&A last week. DS2, who wants to be an architect, is now considering aiming for somewhere like Bath, where the course is run more closely with Civil Engineering (as opposed to some of the more 'arty' courses). Personally, I can't see how you can design a building without knowing how it 'works', so this seems like a good idea to me.

[KB]

Course content is of course critical but within that do check practicalities of the timing of uni based study and placements. A few years back now but someone at Bath had accommodation issues with the 6 month on/ 6 month off set up. Also important how much help the dept can give in finding the various compulsory placements. Do know of people who struggled.

[bravado]

My DD has done courses with

http://www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

DD2 did a Smallpeice Trust STEM course at the beginning of the summer hols and came back absolutely full of excitement and with inspiration for new career-paths. I can highly recommend them Mind you, after 5 minutes at the Hunterian Museum, she was saying she still wants to do Medicine afterall

[JaneEyre]

This post aims at sharing a bit of humour. I find this poem by Wendy Cope absolutely hilarious and I hope you will notice the irony behind it:

Engineers’ Corner

Why isn’t there an Engineers’ Corner in Westminster Abbey? In
Britain we’ve always made more fuss of a ballad than a blueprint
. . . How many schoolchildren dream of becoming great engineers?
Advertisement placed in The Times by the Engineering Council

We make more fuss of ballads than of blueprints –
That’s why so many poets end up rich,
While engineers scrape by in cheerless garrets.
Who needs a bridge or dam? Who needs a ditch?

Whereas the person who can write a sonnet
Has got it made. It’s always been the way,
For everybody knows that we need poems
And everybody reads them every day.

Yes, life is hard if you choose engineering –
You’re sure to need another job as well;
You’ll have to plan your projects in the evenings
Instead of going out. It must be h.e.l.l.

While well-heeled poets ride around in Daimlers,
You’ll burn the midnight oil to earn a crust,
With no hope of a statue in the Abbey,
With no hope, even, of a modest bust.

No wonder small boys dream of writing couplets
And spurn the bike, the lorry and the train.
There’s far too much encouragement for poets –
That’s why this country’s going down the drain.

— Wendy Cope

PS: I added some dots in a word so that it 'goes through'. It is not a swearing word in this context.

[Tinkers]

TBH engineers don't do badly pay wise.