Engineering

An electronic engineer promotes STEM work with fun experiments

Electronic engineer and STEM career role model Chris Styles visits Linton Village College in Cambridge, to run an electronics workshop and talk about his work. Chris works for Cambridge-based microprocessor company ARM, who design the embedded computer processors used in 90 per cent of mobile phones. Chris speaks about his work, and his experiments in his home-built electronics workshop in his garage, before giving the students a range of fun activities to do including; launching a rocket, building an electronic range finder, and working on an innovative locking mechanism and a small robotic car . The lesson culminates in the launch of the rocket on the school's playing field in an attempt to capture trajectory data from the rocket for analysis.

Applications Engineer

Innovative science and engineering research for helping athletes

See how engineering research is helping elite athletes reach the top of their game, in this Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 resource looking at the work of the Centre for Sports Engineering Research at Sheffield Hallam University The team uses state of the art motion capture systems and high speed cameras to track and analyze elite athletes every movement. The motion capture system uses twelve infra-red cameras to track reflective markers positioned over the athlete's body and is particularly useful for analysing football kicks and golfers swings. High-motion cameras, recording at thousands of frames per second are also used to analyse movement in detail and prove useful when looking at rehabilitating inured athletes.

Biomechanics

Students learn about STEM careers by meeting professionals

Lorette Parker, head of careers at Collingwood College, Surrey, invites eight professionals to the school to talk about their careers in STEM-related professions. Amongst the group are research scientists, engineers and project managers. Lorette hopes they will help motivate the students to consider STEM professions as a possible career path. In small groups, the students interview the visitors, getting as much information as they can. They are expected to meet and greet the visitors in the same way they would act in a real job interview. The experience proves to be an eye-opener for the students and many are surprised about the opportunities available in STEM professions. This programme is part of a series looking at the careers available in STEM professions.

Choosing Careers

How literacy, numeracy and ICT can be used in construction

In this programme, the section manager of a large construction company demonstrates the skills needed to ensure a project is completed safely, on time, and on budget. This is the second of two programmes following people employed in construction throughout their working day to reveal the Level 2 skills they need to use. The FE Skills: for Life in Context series is designed to help 14-19 year old students on vocational courses with their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills.

Construction - Safety on Site

How literacy, numeracy and ICT are vital to vocational courses

What have literacy, numeracy and ICT skills got to do with fitting central heating systems? Gas fitter Philip Parker shows just how important they are. This is the first of two programmes following people employed in construction throughout their working day to reveal the Level 2 skills they need to use. The FE Skills: for Life in Context series is designed to help 14-19 year old students on vocational courses with their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills.

Construction - The Gas Fitter

Students focus on maths and science to learn about engineering

Maths teacher Eva Cowlishaw and science teacher Amy Lucas introduce Year 9 students at CTC Kingshurst Academy, Birmingham, to engineering careers using the context of structural engineering in theme park rides. In the maths lesson the students look at rigid structures and learn how they are important in engineering, and have the chance to investigate their own choice of rigid structures. In science, the students model an ejector seat ride using a variety of apparatus. Their investigation looks at the different forces involved in the ride and how to monitor its speed. For the final part of the day the students take on the roles of interviewers and candidates in mock interviews for a structural engineering job. This programme is part of a series looking at the careers available in STEM professions.

What skills are vital to the role of marine engineer?

In this programme, marine engineer Spencer Johns takes us on a tour of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's headquarters in Poole. As a part of a team of engineers he is responsible for keeping the RNLI's fleet of boats up and running. This is the first of a pair of programmes following people employed in the engineering industry throughout their day to reveal the literacy, numeracy and ICT skills they need to use in their jobs. The FE Skills: for Life in Context series is designed to help 14-19 year old students on vocational courses with Level 2 skills.

Engineering - Lifeboats

A trainee mechanic reveals what skills are vital to her job

In this programme, trainee mechanic Louise Upton takes a care through its MOT and service, demonstrating the skills that are vital to her hands-on role. This is the second of a pair of programmes following people employed in the engineering industry throughout their day to reveal the literacy, numeracy and ICT skills they need to use in their jobs. The FE Skills: for Life in Context series is designed to help 14-19 year old students on vocational courses with Level 2 skills.

Engineering - MOT and Service

A mechanic discusses good communication skills: KS4 engineering

Show engineering diploma students a female trainee mechanic talking about her job's need for good communication skills, in this short observational lesson-starting classroom resource on functional skills, for Key Stage 4. The video explains the need for an ability to deal with a wide variety of people, with politeness of service and the ability to communicate clearly and precisely. It also provides questions that can be developed in a classroom discussion among secondary pupils.

Engineering Diploma - Communication Skills

Show KS4 engineering pupils the ICT skills required by a mechanic

This short lesson starter examines the functional ICT skills a mechanic requires, in this classroom resource on functional skills, designed for Key Stage 4 engineering diploma students. It quickly illustrates for secondary pupils the need to accurately order spare parts online, as well as understand how relevant technology works in order to be able to diagnose and solve a problem with a car.

Professional Development for Quality Teaching

Subjects

> Secondary Engineering