Institution news
This event, held every two years at the Excel in London, attracts over 30,000 visitors and includes exhibitors from major defence companies showcasing the latest defence and security equipment. This ranged from body armour and helicopters to four British warships moored in the Thames outside the exhibition.
The final day of the show, Friday 15 September, was billed as a People and Skills Day. The organisers, Clarion events, were very keen to promote the support that is available to professionals in the defence sector, particularly young people considering their future career. IMechE, along with other engineering institutions, manned a stand in the Personal Development Zone, speaking to school leavers and university students as well as mid-career engineers about the support the Institution can offer.
Jill Dwyer, IMechE Defence Liaison Officer, chaired a seminar which outlined how joining an engineering institution could help boost your career. Speakers included two live case studies from IMechE member Matt Chapman who is a Warrant Officer 1, the most senior non-commissioned officer rank in the REME, and IET member Ed Gaffney, Managing Director of Cadmidium. They gave an insight into their careers and explained how professional registration had benefitted them.
In his session, Matt Chapman explained how he had the opportunity to carry out precision engineering work for the Bloodhound Supersonic Car, which will carry out its first trials in Newquay this year. He also gave an insight into his work in the Defence Accident Investigation branch and how being professionally registered as an Incorporated Engineer gave him the credibility to investigate incidents and to access the site alongside the emergency services.
Ed Gaffney followed this with an account of a young technician he had employed who, despite being very talented in engineering systems, had little self-belief. Gaining professional registration gave him the confidence to take on a key role advising NATO, and to grow and develop his career.
In a separate session, Education Projects Manager Sandra Balthazaar organised an interactive display of the IMechE’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Challenge (UAS Challenge). The focus was to engage visitors and help develop an understanding of what goes into the design, build and flying of an Unmanned Aircraft System and how this Challenge was tackled by University students in the 2017 competition. It was also seen as a great opportunity for the undergraduate participants of the Challenge to engage in STEM related outreach activity.
Represented by teams from the University of Southampton, Loughborough, a few of the officials of the Challenge and IMechE staff the day was an opportunity for them all to engage in conversation with visitors at the Activity Hub using their respective drones as a focal point.
Further information about the full DSEI show.