Ingenious grant awarded to Energy Institute to support energy education

The project will be assisted by CREATE, an organisation which has a long history of working with schools on energy-related projects. Our energy future is one of the biggest challenges facing the UK today. To secure a safe and sustainable economy, a key factor is the future supply of engineering skills to the energy industry. This project aims to raise the profile of energy and promote how an engineering career in this sector can be a rewarding one. Sarah Beacock, EI professional affairs director, is leading the project and says: “The overall objective of the project is to build a lasting and valuable link between teachers, young people and engineers; to raise awareness of the issues surrounding energy and sustainability and how engineering provides solutions to our energy needs. The energy industry needs talented people to solve society's future energy requirements. The profile of engineering needs to be raised in all industry sectors and energy is a field that particularly offers a varied and exciting range of careers to the young engineers of the future.” The key objectives of the project are: - to provide teachers with valuable professional development that gives them directions to quality resources on energy, practical examples of how energy can be included in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) teaching and real life examples of young energy professionals - to provide advice to those advising young people about a career in energy engineering; and - to illustrate the variety of careers available and the value of STEM subjects in preparing for such a career. The EI and CREATE will be holding a series of workshops up and down the country to show teachers why the supply and use of energy is so key to a sustainable future and how an understanding of these issues can help give a boost to producing the next generation of engineers. The sessions will raise awareness of the challenges facing the energy industry, helping teachers to gain commitment in their school for energy projects and to engage pupils wanting to pursue a career in energy. This work will form part of a wider project that the EI has embarked on which is the educational web portal, Energyzone, aimed at providing information on energy to the wider public. This portal, to be launched later this year, will cover all energy-related careers, serving those members of the public wanting to know more about energy, those hoping to have a career in energy and energy professionals who need to add to their own professional development.