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'Embrace engineering's creative side' to fix skills crisis | 'Embrace engineering's creative side' to fix skills crisis |
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Engineering needs to emphasise its creative side to encourage more young people to take it up as a career, says a leading member of the profession. | Engineering needs to emphasise its creative side to encourage more young people to take it up as a career, says a leading member of the profession. |
Engineers should embrace the arts, Sir John O'Reilly, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, argued in a lecture. | Engineers should embrace the arts, Sir John O'Reilly, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, argued in a lecture. |
About 59% of engineering companies in the IET's 2014 survey feared skill shortages could threaten business. | About 59% of engineering companies in the IET's 2014 survey feared skill shortages could threaten business. |
"There is nothing as creative as engineering," Sir John told BBC News. | "There is nothing as creative as engineering," Sir John told BBC News. |
He says science, technology, engineering and mathematics - often known as "Stem" subjects, are vital for a modern knowledge economy. | He says science, technology, engineering and mathematics - often known as "Stem" subjects, are vital for a modern knowledge economy. |
But there is a massive shortfall in the number of recruits - with a recent study by the Royal Academy of Engineering saying the UK needs to increase by as much as 50% the number of Stem graduates it produces. | But there is a massive shortfall in the number of recruits - with a recent study by the Royal Academy of Engineering saying the UK needs to increase by as much as 50% the number of Stem graduates it produces. |
Competitiveness | Competitiveness |
Delivering this year's Mountbatten Lecture at the Royal Institution, Sir John argued that engineers should recognise the role of the arts in their work - among other benefits, this could attract more people into the profession. | Delivering this year's Mountbatten Lecture at the Royal Institution, Sir John argued that engineers should recognise the role of the arts in their work - among other benefits, this could attract more people into the profession. |
The lecture, Full Steam Ahead for Growth, advocated adoption of a wider acronym - Steam, or science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. | The lecture, Full Steam Ahead for Growth, advocated adoption of a wider acronym - Steam, or science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. |
Engineers should embrace the arts as being key to creativity and an important component of innovation, crucial to creating new products and boosting future competitiveness, he argued. | Engineers should embrace the arts as being key to creativity and an important component of innovation, crucial to creating new products and boosting future competitiveness, he argued. |
"Engineering and technology is an increasingly diverse and creative domain," said Sir John. | "Engineering and technology is an increasingly diverse and creative domain," said Sir John. |
Some university engineering departments already collaborated with art schools to develop understanding, he told BBC News. | Some university engineering departments already collaborated with art schools to develop understanding, he told BBC News. |
In particular he mentioned Cranfield University's Centre for Creative Competitive Design and Imperial College's work with the Royal College of Art. | In particular he mentioned Cranfield University's Centre for Creative Competitive Design and Imperial College's work with the Royal College of Art. |
The two sets of people could work well together and more emphasis on the creative side of engineering could improve the success of products, he said. | The two sets of people could work well together and more emphasis on the creative side of engineering could improve the success of products, he said. |
"Aesthetics is part of it," he told BBC News, adding that Apple's iPod was not the first digital media player, nor the only one that worked - but it came to dominate the market "because it was nice to have". | "Aesthetics is part of it," he told BBC News, adding that Apple's iPod was not the first digital media player, nor the only one that worked - but it came to dominate the market "because it was nice to have". |
Sir John said he was not suggesting universities started requiring A-level art from engineering applicants - the key subjects for admission would continue to be maths and the sciences. But an emphasis on creative skills would help "broaden the pool and attract more people in". | Sir John said he was not suggesting universities started requiring A-level art from engineering applicants - the key subjects for admission would continue to be maths and the sciences. But an emphasis on creative skills would help "broaden the pool and attract more people in". |
The IET's skills survey raised concerns not only about the number of recruits to engineering, but about the diversity of the workforce, with only 6% being women. | The IET's skills survey raised concerns not only about the number of recruits to engineering, but about the diversity of the workforce, with only 6% being women. |
A report last week by the Wise campaign to promote women in science and engineering found too many young women felt engineering was "not for people like me". | A report last week by the Wise campaign to promote women in science and engineering found too many young women felt engineering was "not for people like me". |
Wise director Helen Wollaston commented: "People who are creative and imaginative are good at working out how to improve products, making them more useful and attractive to customers. | Wise director Helen Wollaston commented: "People who are creative and imaginative are good at working out how to improve products, making them more useful and attractive to customers. |
"Advertising for people with these characteristics would be a good way to attract more girls and women into science, technology and engineering." | "Advertising for people with these characteristics would be a good way to attract more girls and women into science, technology and engineering." |
National Union of Teachers general secretary Christine Blower said Sir John's comments illustrated the educational importance of arts subjects "to ensure students have a range of skills and knowledge to equip them for their future careers". |
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