EASLOE is supported by the Engineering Education Grant Scheme (EEGS):

Engineering a Sustainable Life on Earth Project (EASLOE)

EASLOE is an engineering sectors careers education project that taps into the passions and values that many young people have in addressing the climate and ecological challenges that humanity faces. To introduce them to the wide ranging and exciting work that engineers are doing to address these huge challenges, and the engineering careers and progression pathways that will allow them to work on addressing these challenges themselves through their future careers and be part of the solution.

The EASLOE project is delivered through taking part in interactive live workshops and webinars with engineering professionals, graduates, apprentices and academics. EASLOE gives young people the opportunity to find out about the work engineers are doing, their career journeys and the technology they are using or developing to address these environmental challenges, such as zero emissions technology, carbon capture, recycling and reuse technologies, hydrogen technologies, sustainable construction and manufacturing systems, robotics, artificial intelligence and the application of smart systems and digital twins.

The EASLOE Brief

The EASLOE brief set for the students is to work in a team to:

·         Choose a sustainability or environmental challenge we are facing, and the work engineers are doing to address this challenge

·         Create a poster, a display, a presentation, an animation, or a video that will Inform people about this sustainability or environmental challenge, and the work engineers are doing to address this challenge

The EASLOE project will also involve developing a bespoke engineering area in our virtual Sustainability Expo. https://www.4wardfutures.org.uk/sustainable-careers-expo

Through this Virtual Expo engineers, engineering companies, academics and organisations will be able to share with young people, the work they are doing to combat the climate and ecological challenges humanity faces.

The Expo and the engineering area will expand over the next 12 months as more exhibitors join and share their work with young people. This virtual Expo will provide resources that schools and organisations across the UK can utilise to enhance the work they are doing with young people around engineering careers and sustainability.

Pilot EALSOE Project

4wardFutures have recently completed the Engineering a Sustainable Life (EASLOE) on Earth project.

The EASLOE project introduced 122 learners from four schools to a diverse array of environmental and sustainability challenges that are having significant impacts on our planet. Having a range of these challenges in greater detail to explore the contributing factors, the learners were then introduced to a wide range of engineering related careers and how the work that is being carried out by engineers to address these sustainability and environmental challenges both directly and indirectly. 

The learners then explored their own sustainability and environmental concerns with volunteer engineers before choosing one to research in depth and developing ideas, solutions or changes that have (or could have) a positive impact on the challenge in question. 

EASLOE Exhibition created by students at Blackburn Central High School:

EASLOE Exhibition stands at Blackburn Central High School

EASLOE game designed by students from  Blackburn Central High School

Students giving a virtual tour of their EASLOE exhibition

A plastic recycling kiosk designed by Bridgewater High School Students

Feedback data demonstrated that the learners found the project engaging and enjoyable. 95% of the learners gave a score of 3 or 4 from a 1- 4 ranking (63 % gave a 4 and 42 % gave a 3) for the statement I enjoyed taking part in the EASLOE-P project.

Comments from students who took part in the EASLOE-P project:

I loved talking to James about engineering and the problems engineers were trying to solve
I would never believe we could have done this in our school
I enjoyed everything about the project especially working as a team to put our display about
engineering together
I really enjoyed thinking about how engineers would try to solve problems in the environment
I really enjoyed this project because of the things I learnt
I enjoyed this project. It was so different to what we usually do in class
I really liked that we had engineers come in our class to speak to us
I enjoyed talking with the engineers and finding out about the different projects they were doing
I really enjoyed working in groups and designing our own phones

Feedback from teachers showed that the project helped them engage with learners about engineering
progression routes and careers and develop their own appreciation of what careers in engineering
could involve:  

12 out of the 13 of the teachers who worked on the project rated it as very good or excellent – 1 gave
a good rating. 11 teachers gave an 8,9 or 10 score (ranking 1 – 10) for the statement - This project
will have a lasting impact on the learners; 11 teachers gave an 8,9 or 10 score for the statement The
project was pitched at the right level for the learner. 10 teachers gave an 8,9 or 10 score for the for
the statement score for the statement - I feel that my learners have a greater appreciation of
engineering careers?  

I think that our learners have been given a great opportunity to experience 'real life' problems
that engineers face. I am hoping that it has given the children the confidence and drive to see
this as a future career opportunity or to build on what they have learnt in High school. It gave
them an opportunity to develop their problem-solving skills whilst working collaboratively.

They will be more aware of design and engineering jobs available. Have a greater
understanding of creating and designing for a purpose. Be able to appreciate the planet and
their own environment

The project gave my pupils a good understanding of the different career pathways, there
are in engineering which they did not have before they took part in the project

I just want to thank both Mark and James for giving us this opportunity. They have provided
expertise that is hard to come by and given our children a real-life audience to make their
work be more authentic. Their level of support was fantastic throughout and I highly
recommend what they have done with our children. Teacher

The EASLOE project gave myself and our learners an insight into the application of
technologies in the workplace; a taster of working as part of a team with the pressure of
having to present the outcome and a deeper understanding of the impact of waste and some
of the solutions we can look at

The EASLOE project has given me and our learners an awareness of, and interest in
engineering and a greater know of how to be more sustainable and the small steps we can all
take

The EASLOE project has given the children a clearer idea of the sort of career they might like
to go into. I and my pupils now have a much greater awareness of, and interest in engineering as well as
a greater understanding of future career opportunities in engineering.

The EASLOE project has given the students ideas for possible career pathways, which they may have not yet thought of.