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At Shottery there are many extra-curricular
activities open to sixth-formers. These aim to broaden our education
and development beyond the subject areas we choose to study. One
of the options available is the Engineering Education Scheme, organised
by the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is a national scheme,
run annually in seven regions. Please click on the link below for
general information about the scheme.
http://www.engineering-education.org.uk/
The scheme has many purposes. One of the key aims is to open up
the world of engineering to young people so that they gain a much
deeper understanding of what it would be like to become a professional
engineer. To this end, the scheme is structured to take students
through a problem-solving procedure, during which they experience
very many of the working practices of the professionals.
Requirements to participate in
the EES:
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You must be a Year 12
student with a keen interest in finding out about engineering
as a possible career. |
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You must be taking Maths
AS and preferably at least one Science |
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You will have to complete
an application form and go through an interview. The scheme
may not be suitable for everyone. |
This is an opportunity of the
very highest calibre for the students selected for the team, and
last year (2006/7) the scheme celebrated its 22nd year of operation.
Shottery has been represented on the scheme with only one missed
year since 1998/9. Our sponsoring companies have included Amec,
National Grid and Transco. Our sponsor for the current round of
the scheme is to be Severn Trent.
The scheme offers particularly valuable opportunities for those
students who are likely to aim for a career in engineering. The
Royal Academy of Engineering is fully committed to its education
programme of which The Engineering Education Scheme is the first
main stage. Following success on the EES, students would more or
less be guaranteed a placement in a University Engineering Department
for one week at the end of the summer term in Year 12 on the second
stage known as Headstart. Following this, students can apply for
an engineering “gap” known as Year in Industry. Acceptance
onto virtually any Engineering degree course would be more or less
certain for students who have participated in one or more aspects
of the Academy’s education programmes.
CREST GOLD AWARD AND LEVEL 3
KEY SKILLS
The West Midlands SetPoint organisation, which is also committed
to promoting the acquisition of engineering skills in young people,
is an awarding body for Crest Awards, the highest of which is gold.
The Crest Gold Award is a highly valued qualification of great interest
to potential employers and University Departments. Successful participation
in the EES automatically qualifies students for the Crest Gold Award.
In addition, the work done on the EES qualifies students for A Level
3 certificate in Key Skills. This is all possible because of the
many and varied personal qualities and skills which the students
will develop, improve and use during the EES.
WHAT THE TEAM OF 2005 HAS TO
SAY:
Participating in the scheme involves working in a team of four,
with the aim of developing a solution to a problem that the sponsoring
company actually has, with the help of professional engineers.
The EES offers an opportunity to experience, at first hand and in
some depth, the challenges and excitement of a career in professional
engineering.
Known, very originally, as 'The Team' we have been supported by
two young engineers from National Grid Transco.
Our task: To design a mechanism to control the varying tension in
the electricity cables attached to main pylons.
The EES involves many trips out of school, such as visits to the
sponsor company, attending the launch day and the Celebration and
Assessment Presentation Day, which is held at the NEC. It also allows
us to experience a little of the life led by undergraduate engineers,
and to meet their tutors. This happened at a one-week residential
workshop, held just before Christmas at Birmingham University, where
we made our prototypes.
We would recommend participating in the EES to anyone who is interested
in science, ready to tackle a challenge and brave enough to see
things from a different angle. It’s great fun, you get free
food and the feelings of success and satisfaction are immense!
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