The Engineering Education Scheme (EES) is one of many initiatives developed by the Engineering Development Trust (EDT), the largest provider of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) enrichment activities for UK youth. The EDT develops partnerships, builds links between education and industry and help organisations reach talent and connect with young engineers and scientists across the UK.
The Engineering Education Scheme involves teams of students from local schools working with industry for six months to solve real-world scientific, engineering and technological problems and is aimed at Year 12 (16-17 year old) students.
The scheme provides students with an in-depth experience in science, engineering and technology that will enable them to make an informed decision about their future studies and career. This is achieved by giving the students: hands-on work experience as part of a team, experience of problem solving, working on a project that is relevant to a local company, use of a university’s engineering workshops to develop, build and test solutions for the problem, professional skills lectures on communications (written, verbal and visual) and project management, the opportunity to develop technical skills, an opportunity to meet professional and graduate engineers, scientists and technologists, and experience in presenting their solution, in a formal verbal presentation and formal written technical report, to a panel of senior professional engineers. During their six-month project phase, students are encouraged to show industrial enterprise, creativity and innovation whilst gaining extensive experience of problem-solving, team-working and project management.
The EES brings multiple benefits to companies from cost effective project solutions, to the opportunity for high quality professional development of the organisation’s engineers and scientists. The Scheme improves industrial and higher education links and can provide early access to high ability, potential graduate recruits. The Scheme will be launched by Matt Fox, the South East Organiser and will be attended by students and staff from local schools and engineers from participating companies.