EASLOE Project

4wardFutures have recently completed the first 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. 

During the early discussions with the engineers, the volunteers steered the conversations with the young people to share the various pathways into engineering, the types of work engineers are engaged with and general promotion of the engineering career pathways and journeys.

Feedback from the learners showed that they enjoyed taking part in the project and had a greater understanding and appreciation of what a career in engineering could involve:

·         I really enjoyed talking to engineers and explaining what my group and I were doing and the problems we were trying to solve

·         I enjoyed learning new things and having conversations with my peers and the engineers about different environmental issues I also really enjoyed presenting and discussing my presentation

·         Thank you for this project. It gave me a better understanding of Engineering. At the start I thought engineering was just fixing cars but now I know there is so much more 

·         I enjoyed talking to engineers about the work they do and the different careers there are

·         What I enjoyed the most is knowing that engineering could have a big impact on the world future and our future thank you. My view of engineering has now changed for the better

A key objective of the EASLOE project was also to help teachers engage with learners about engineering progression routes and careers and to develop their own appreciation of what careers in engineering could involve. Feedback from teachers showed that this objective had been achieved:

·         The EASLOE project helped me significantly develop my understanding as to what a vibrant profession engineering can be. I certainly feel more ready and willing to discuss it as a potential career with students which I'm sure I will have to next year as I'll be mainly teaching physics including to A level

·         Gave me a realistic insight to issues faced by engineers and careers that can help with sustainability issues. This is effective as some issues raised are not on the curriculum at all and so gives a broader insight and allows learners to think and question

The EASLOE project was supported through an EEGS grant from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (theiet.org) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE.org)