Member Article

ECITB introduce engineering construction to schools

Securing Engineering Construction Skills Now and for the future. One of the primary roles of the ECITB is to attract, develop and qualify people for the Engineering Construction Industry, and a major tool we are using for this is our schools roadshow.The Roadshow is running across the UK from the 1st October 2012 until 11th December 2012. A short video is available here.

The Roadshow has been in the North East since Monday 15th October and is touring schools until Friday 26th October. The ECITB is keen to work with schools to promote Information, Advice and Guidance and also to promote the opportunities to females in Engineering and if any school requires support in this please contact the North East office on 01642 777713.

The ECITB Schools Tour, ‘Be a Part of Engineering Construction,’ is on a mission – to help attract 60,000 more people into engineering construction over the next ten years. The schools tour, will be visiting local schools with its interactive theatre in education roadshow, designed for students aged 13 to 16. The hugely successful tour, which visits around 150 STEM schools (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) across the country each year, aims to increase the awareness of the engineering construction industry and focus on the importance of the industry in young people’s lives.

Students will have the opportunity to find out about the career routes available in engineering construction and the apprenticeship opportunities on offer. The use of interactive presentations, multi-media and surprise celebrity guests are all used to engage with the students and to talk to them about the many benefits of starting a career in the industry.

David Edwards, Chief Executive, ECITB said: “The ECITB’s Schools Tour initiative is designed to raise the awareness of engineering construction careers. It is an innovative and exciting way to engage with young people and I am delighted the ECITB is able to showcase the industry in this way.”

“The engineering construction industry is in the position to be able to offer exciting and well paid careers to young people. Our latest manpower forecasts show that a 30 per cent growth in manpower is needed to attract 60,000 more skilled workers, across all our sectors over the next ten years. It is vital to the future of engineering construction in this country that we raise awareness of the industry with young people.”

As part of the roadshow, teachers are provided with ECITB careers teaching support. Lesson one, carried out with the students before attending the roadshow, introduces students to the idea of skill sets, highlights the link between skills sets and career opportunities and finally introduces students to the idea of apprenticeships, the term ‘Engineering Construction’ and the name ECITB. The second lesson plan, intended for students after attending the ECITB Roadshow focuses on the practicalities of starting work and on students being able to construct their own CV’s.

“Students realised the huge range of careers that engineering construction can open the doorway to,” said a teacher commenting on last year’s tour. “They were amazed at the variety of options. It was fun too!” This year the video features Jason Bradbury, host of The Gadget Show US and The Gadget Show UK. With a passion for technology and science that is utterly infectious, Jason also boasts excellent comic abilities to engage with the audience.

For more details of Careers in the Engineering Construction Industry visit http://careers.ecitb.org.uk/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by ECITB .