#ThisIsEngineering campaign aims for youth with exciting film and sport roles

Diverse and fulfilling film, music and sports roles rely on engineering, a new campaign has highlighted, as it seeks to address a “critical shortfall” of young engineers.

At least 124,000 engineers and technicians with core engineering skills are needed per year, a forthcoming report from EngineeringUK will highlight. In response to demand, which includes an additional 79,000 roles requiring engineering knowledge and skills, the organisation and the Royal Academy of Engineering have launched the #ThisIsEngineering campaign to reveal opportunities available in the profession.

“The first thing we are trying to highlight is just what fantastic diversity, opportunity and excitement there is around modern engineering,” said EngineeringUK CEO Mark Titterington to Professional Engineering.

“Some might say it’s digging tunnels and building bridges – that’s hugely important, but of course it’s so much more than that. Whether it is tackling the problems of climate change, health and wellbeing, feeding the world, AI, big data, mobility, science is the key part of this but the engineering that sits behind it is as important.”

Asked why this initiative might succeed, Titterington said it will “speak to people’s passions”. Engineers are vital to everything from sports playing surfaces to special effects in films, he added, as well as more obvious areas such as space missions. “These are not necessarily the roles that you would expect a young person, or even an older person, to think of when you say ‘What do you think about careers in engineering?’,” he said.

Research carried out by YouGov for #ThisIsEngineering found 52% of young people turn to the internet for careers information, compared to 41% who speak to parents, and 37% who talk to teachers. The initiative hopes to work with this with a social media campaign highlighting the stories of five young engineers in sport, fashion, technology, design and space.

“Engineering is essential to the future growth of the UK economy and underpins so much of our day-to-day lives, but we are still facing a chronic shortfall of talent,” said Hayaatun Sillem, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering. “The campaign is designed to reflect how young people think and feel about their futures, and illustrate how, through engineering, it’s possible to have a job that is truly inspiring.”

The campaign takes place during the Year of Engineering.

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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.