Extolling the virtue of hard work in all human endeavour, Thomas Edison once coined the memorable phrase: genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. Luring young talent into the engineering profession might possibly be described in similar fashion – you only need a hint of inspiration to set a young person on the science, engineering and technology path, but they must be prepared for the hard slog that lies ahead.
But from whence inspiration? There is no shortage of schemes and initiatives – some, indeed, reported in this column - that go to great lengths in their efforts to swell the body of engineering talent in this country. The latest – an excellent essay competition jointly organised by The Independent newspaper and Robert Bosch – has revealed some remarkable youthful insights into the global human condition and how technology can be harnessed to improve it.
Students aged 14-24, their teachers, personalities from the media and leading engineers gathered at the Royal Academy of Engineering at the beginning of the month to find out which of 14 finalists to The Independent-Bosch Technology Horizons essay competition had scooped the two top 2009 awards. The event, which included a fascinating presentation by Wing Commander Andy Green, pilot of Richard Noble’s rocket and jet powered Bloodhound SSC land speed record breaking car, was the culmination of a year in which no less that 560 young people were moved to commit their ideas to paper.
And the question posed by this year’s competition - ‘How can technology and engineering provide innovative solutions to today’s global challenges?’ – fired the imagination of these young writers. The judges had a hard task whittling it down to just 14 finalists – all of whom received a certificate for their efforts.
Winner of the 14-18 year-old category was Leon Zhang of Urmston Grammar School in Manchester. Gavin Harper of Cardiff University was winner in the 19-24 year-old category. I do urge you to take the time to read them – just click on their names to access the texts.
Meanwhile, at a briefing held last week at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games offices, Atkins project director Mike McNicholas expressed his belief that the London 2012 events will “change the face of the engineering design sector”. He was speaking to journalists about the challenges being faced in helping to deliver the temporary structures for the London Games and how the Olympics event could reshape the engineering industry, making it more attractive to a new generation of workers.
“We need a new image for engineering as an exciting, energetic and socially responsible profession to be in,” he said. “Our [Atkins'] set-up for the London 2012 Games is like a league-of-nations where all the different departments sit together. It has influenced how we have bid for other major projects, such as Crossrail, and how we set up a bid team. We need to inspire a new generation of engineers and construction workers.”
Like Richard Noble’s extraordinarily powerful and complex car, what else can be more inspiring to young people than the sensuous curves of Zaha Hadid’s fabulous Olympics Aquatics Centre? It’s all in the engineering – and that’s what we have to get across.
But back to the perspiration bit. At the back end of June, the Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) published its manifesto for manufacturing - Manufacturing Our Future - which sets out a vision for manufacturing at the centre of a more diverse and durable UK economy and makes bold recommendations to back it, including a National Economic Council charged with delivering it, and a new ‘Industrial Bank’.
The EEF senses a spark of recognition from across the political spectrum that action is needed now to equip the UK for the future and put the economy on a more sustainable path. But we are not there yet, it warns. The engineering and manufacturers’ organisation’s strategy for a more diverse, agile and innovative manufacturing sector speaks to both manufacturers and government. It plots a course for a stronger and relatively larger manufacturing base which could meet future challenges and help the UK pay its way in the world.
EEF chief executive, Gilbert Toppin says that manufacturing must play a bigger role in our economy if we are to meet the challenges facing us over the next decade. He is not alone in believing that manufacturing will be a major player in addressing climate change and meeting our demographic and security challenges, as well as helping to claw back the huge deficits in our economy.
“But this will only happen if our manufacturers show the ambition and make the investments needed to achieve this and the government sets out a framework that gives them the confidence to do it,” he asserts. “In particular, the government must set out its priorities for the technologies and markets we need to develop and the steps it will take to help the UK succeed in them.”
It is the EEF’s view that the government holds many of the cards and must take the lead, identifying priorities, overcoming obstacles such as skills shortages and the planning system, and offering real incentives. In addition to the Industrial Bank, the EEF suggests a one billion pound ‘X Prize’ for the commercialisation of low carbon technologies and tax and regulatory systems that will have a positive net impact on the business environment.
Inspirational? No sweat!
Les Hunt
Editor