Students can:
ASK questions
CHAT to engineers online
Then VOTE for the engineer they think deserves the prize
It’s completely free for UK schools to take part.
What’s involved?:
Your students interact with real engineers online and learn about the wide range of opportunities in engineering. It engages the less engaged students, because they are talking to real engineers and they get a say over something.
Target audience:
Year 9s to post-16 (differentiated resources supplied).
Time involved:
The event is very flexible, but we recommend a minimum of two 1 hour lessons spent on I’m an Engineer. Most teachers spend 2-3 lessons. The event itself lasts for two weeks, but the site will be online for two weeks beforehand so that you can do background work.
Open to all schools, or other educational settings, in the UK. The event has been successfully used in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: in mainstream schools, sixth form colleges, special schools, pupil referral units and other non-mainstream educational settings. It may sound like we are claiming it’s the magic event that can do everything, but the activity is very flexible because so much of the activity is pupil-led (e.g. they ask the questions they want to). This means different age groups, ability levels, and backgrounds all get something out of it.
If you’re a teacher in Ireland, see the Irish version at: imanengineer.ie/teachers
How does the event support the curriculum?
I’m an Engineer is designed to help Maths, D&T and Science teachers raise awareness of the wide range of opportunities in engineering, and bring engineering to life for students.
- Introduces engineering into lessons and supports engineering-related aspects of Maths, D&T and Science curriculum
- Develops and deepens students understanding of the social impact of engineering
- Provides an alternative ways of involving engineers in school
- Inspires and energises students, showing them the range and excitement of engineering.
- Gets students enthusiastic about engineering as a possible career
- Helps students realise that engineers are human!
- Supported by lesson plans, information sheets, and resources for different ages and ability levels, between years 9 – 13.
As one teacher said “In the initial part of the project, the students were asked what they thought engineering was and they all thought it was repairing cars. After taking part in the activities, they had a much wider concept of what engineering is about”
You can read more about what teachers, students and engineers think about taking part in I’m an Engineer in our evaluation section.
Want to know more?