HRH The Prince of Wales opened
Engineering Your Future last week, a new interactive exhibition at the Science Museum in London which aims to change young people’s perception of modern engineering.
Prince Charles met students from Chelsea Academy, Industrial Cadets and Engineering Apprentices during a tour of the new exhibition.
Making use of the latest research, including the Academy’s recent report Thinking like an engineer, the museum has worked with engineering companies across the UK to create an experience which will really challenge young people to think about their future.
The installations explore engineering through striking objects and three challenging interactive games that bring to life the skills engineers use every day.
The exhibition reveals compelling stories of the people who work in engineering today. Engineers developing faster racing yachts, safer building design for areas at risk of tsunamis and smarter artificial hands are featured in a short film with cutting-edge prototypes on display to illustrate how engineers improve and test their ideas.
Engineer Your Future has been generously supported by ABB, BT, EDF Energy, IBM, Mott MacDonald, National Grid, Network Rail and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, with additional support from the Royal Academy of Engineering and EngineeringUK.
The exhibition is part of the Your Life campaign, which aims to increase the number of young people studying mathematics and physics and considering STEM careers.
Professor Dame Ann Dowling DBE FREng FRS, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “This is an exciting and important exhibition that demonstrates powerfully how the role of engineering changes constantly, responding to the demands of the day. Many of the engineering jobs we will need in 20 years’ time have not been invented yet. The spread of mobile technology, the development of composite materials and the increasing demand for energy, have made engineering a hugely satisfying and valuable career.”
Steve Holliday FREng, CEO of National Grid and Chair of the consortium supporting Engineer Your Future, said: “Engineering is creating the future. The internet, the tablet computer, space rockets, the electricity grid that supplies your homes, were all designed, built and maintained by Engineers. If creating the things that are going to shape all our futures excites you, then why wouldn’t you want to be an Engineer?”