This year we were back again at the Royal International Air Tattoo with our National Partner Royal Air Force Charitable to host the Inspire Stage and run a series of engineering challenges. 

Over 200,000 people attended the event over the weekend and we welcomed thousands of young people to celebrate the power of engineering.​

Tim Peake, Dr Alice Bunn, RAF Red Arrows, Saudi Hawks, the Department for Transport Young Aviation Ambassadors, Great Scott! Productions and Science Made Simple all took the stage to engage our audience and show them the exciting possibilities of a career in engineering and aviation.​

The Princess of Wales, Catherine, visited the Techno Zone on the Friday too.

Our engineering activities were a huge hit with visitors receiving Mission Badges for completing a series of challenges. On the display were a variety of prototypes, The Shimmy Shimmy Shower and The Solar Powered Train, both created by The University of Edinburgh and The Plant Pot created by our National Partner Thales. Behind each prototype was a heart-warming story of a pupil who had entered the competition and had their idea turned into reality. A perfect example of how pupils can inspire engineers! 

We were joined by volunteers from The School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Thales UK, DXC Technology and The Boeing Company who all helped us run these activities and inspire young people.

It was absolutely fantastic to see a few of our partners exhibiting stands in the Techno Zone too, Rolls-Royce, GKN Aerospace, GE Aerospace.

See all the photos from our event on our Primary Engineer Facebook page.

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What’s your story? Tell us at https://leadersaward.com/10th-anniversary/

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Adam Cunliffe, CEO of Beacon Rail, said: “We are again delighted to work with Primary Engineer and connect with schools across the London area, where our London office is based.  The rail industry offers multiple engineering disciplines and has an ever-increasing role to play in a sustainable transport network for both passengers and freight.  As a business we are keen to inspire pupils in STEM subjects and introduce them to the wide range of engineering opportunities within the rail industry and wider society.” 

Chris Rochester, UK Director at Primary Engineer, said: “It is wonderful to be continuing our partnership with Beacon Rail to enable more schools in London to be able to do the Primary Engineer Rail Project and for pupils to develop skills and to have opportunities to understand more about the rail sector through the cross-curricular projects delivered by their teachers. By having Beacon Rail engineering professionals as part of the project, pupils will have the chance to meet and work with engineering professionals and to not only be inspired but to be able to start to identify themselves with engineering and the opportunities that exist for them in the future.”

The project is now live in London and if you want to learn how you or your school can get involved then check out our courses page! www.primaryengineer.com/courses

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Ben Ackroyd, Chief Operating Officer at Porterbrook, said: “The community and businesses in and around Long Marston have played a significant role in supporting Porterbrook’s vision for the Rail Innovation Centre since we took over last June.

“Some of the most exciting innovations taking place in the railway today are being led by our talented engineers at the site, and we hope our new project with Primary Engineer will inspire the local bright minds of the future to follow in their footsteps.”

Andrew Norris, the Primary Engineer Head of Partnerships for Central England, said: “I have been lucky enough to meet a number of engineers from Porterbrook recently and have been struck by their passion for the rail industry. Their enthusiasm is contagious and I’m sure linking these professionals with pupils in Warwickshire will inspire the next generation of rail engineers and set them on the path to a fantastic career utilising the power of engineering”

The new project in Long Marston is the next step in the partnership between Porterbrook and Primary Engineer, following the delivery of successful projects for schools in the East Midlands.

Learn more about how your school can get involved on our courses page! www.primaryengineer.com/courses

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The competition, ‘if you were an engineer, what would you do?’ which is going into its 10^th year, encourages pupils to identify problems in the world around them and come up with creative solutions for them. This encourages them to appreciate that creative problem solving is a key part of being an engineer.

In 2022 Primary Engineer hosted 16 face to face, UK-wide regional events and exhibitions.  For the first time they were also able to bring together every winning entry from across the UK into one exhibition as part of its presence at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT).  At RIAT Primary Engineer also hosted the Inspire Stage, giving children and adults the opportunity to interview the Red Arrows; Blades aerobatic team; General Charles Duke, a former astronaut who in 1972 became the tenth and youngest person to walk on the moon; Major Tim Peake, the first British European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut; Mandy Hickson, one of the first female RAF jet pilots on a frontline Tornado GR4 Squadron and Carol Vorderman, presenter and private pilot.

A total of 33, 430 pupils, 1,233 teachers and 346 schools were involved in the competition from across the UK, with the CAA inspiring 333 entries from eight schools.  

Ben Alcott, International Director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “It was a delight to be involved in judging this year’s entries.  The thought and imagination that the children put into their submissions was truly inspiring and a credit to them, their teachers and the Primary Engineer programme.  I’m looking forward to continuing our partnership with Primary Engineer next year.”

Nathalie Cachet-Gaujard, the Primary Engineer Head of Partnerships for the North of England, said: “We are delighted that the CAA is continuing its partnership and joining us as a partner in Lancashire to fund the Leaders Award as it goes into its 10th year. Given the importance of the aerospace sector in Lancashire the CAA is a perfect fit to inspire the future diverse generation of engineers that the aviation and aerospace sector needs to maintain its leading position in the UK. The competition is all about bringing awareness of education pathways and career opportunities into the classroom through the engagement of industry partners such as the CAA.

“Looking ahead to 2022-23 Primary Engineer will celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the competition, run the second series of its podcast, return to RIAT and no doubt a few other surprise events along the way; it’s going to be an incredible year!”

The competition is fully funded and open to all primary and secondary teachers in Lancashire, details on how to register can be found on the website: www.leadersaward.com

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National Inclusion Week 2022 (26th September to Sunday 3rd October), is an opportunity to celebrate diversity and equality.

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These interviews are part of our Leader’s Award ‘If you were an engineer, what would you do? Competition! 

Watch the recorded interviews below. 

If want to take part in any future interviews but aren’t signed up to the competition, sign up here today – it’s easy peasy and great fun for your pupils and learners!

“It’s a brilliant project and I love working on it in class. The pupils really respond to it and enjoy taking part. I think it’s fantastic that every pupil gets a certificate in recognition of their entry”

Teacher Recommendation – St Bridget’s Primary School and Nursery Class

Looking for more to get involved with?

Take part in our Rail Project! In academic year 2021 – 2022, we worked with 65,283 pupils and what’s more, this fully-funded project is always a huge hit with young people – what’s not to love!

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The highly prestigious Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal recognises and celebrates the innovation of young people aged 3 to 19 and the university teams that have taken those ideas and made them a reality. The award is supported by the MacRobert Trust, WEIR Group and the RAF Charitable Trust.

Jon Stanton CEO WEIR Group said “Here at WEIR innovation is core to what we do and we are delighted to support the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal to encourage and develop innovation in young people and early career engineers – this is where, we believe, our futures begin.”

The Medal is part of the wider ‘If you were an engineer, what would you do?’ national competition encouraging young people to interview engineers, find a problem and draw and annotate a solution to it. Every entry is read and graded by engineers with each individual receiving a certificate. Exhibitions are held and awards presented in 18 different locations across the UK.

Chris Hockley CEO The MacRobert Trust said “The MacRobert Trust, with our long-term passion for supporting engineering across the country, at all levels, is truly delighted to be supporting the entire Primary Engineer initiative and the inspiring “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” competition, in particular. Congratulations to all the winners and welcome to the MacRobert “family”. “

This year’s medallists, announced by Primary Engineer’s CEO, Dr Susan Scurlock MBE at COP26, celebrates the creativity and inspiration that emerges from the interaction of young people with engineering and engineers.

The winners are awarded gold, silver or bronze medals for their designs, which are often inspired by the young person’s personal experiences and aspirations for the environment, health or other key topics.

Bronze Medallist

Road Flash – designed by Caeran aged 8 from St Mary’s Primary School, Ballyward, Northern Ireland and produced by Ulster University. An invention which would create a new signal to alert drivers entering a blind spot that another vehicle is already in it.  

Silver Medallists

Extending Sink – designed by Savannagh aged 6 from Abacus Belsize Primary School, London and produced by Kingston University London. Designed to adjust to the height of the person approaching it – to be used for people with disabilities and in hospital settings. 

The Super Hearing Dish – designed by Isabelle aged 8 from Wonersh and Shamley Green Church of England Primary School, Surrey and produced by the University of Southampton. Inspired to help her father, who has a hearing impairment, hear better the conversations held over loud ambient noise – at the kitchen table and in meetings.

Gold Medallists

The Bicycle Sucker – designed by Maisie aged 7 from Rowan Preparatory School, Surrey and produced by Kingston University London. This invention uses the pedal motion of a bicycle which is attached to tubes that go down a well and move water out of the well into the bucket.

Hydro-Paddle – designed by Heather aged 11 from Portmoak Primary School, Kinross and produced by Glasgow Caledonian University. This invention was by Heather’s wishes to address climate change and uses water power in down pipes to turn a turbine and generate electricity.  

SMA Jacket – designed by Krystina aged 15 of Sir John Thursby Community College, Burnley and produced by the University of Central Lancashire. This invention allows children like Krystina’s cousin, who is living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), to live a more conventional life by wearing an exoskeleton engineered jacket which gives support and extra strength to their back muscles and spine.

Dr Susan Scurlock CEO and Founder of Primary Engineer commented “We are very proud to have the link to The MacRobert Trust and their legacy of celebrating the very best in engineering and we are grateful to WEIR Group and RAFCT for enabling us to establish this medal. I also would like to thank the judges; this was not an easy task but a hugely inspiring one! Through the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal we are now able to highlight the link between universities and schools celebrating the creativity in young people and the ProtoTeams engineering their solutions It just cannot fail to inspire everyone with the art of the ‘engineered’ possible.”

Hear from the engineers and the designers themselves in the ‘If you were an engineer…’ Podcast www.leadersaward.com/podcast

For more information about the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal www.primaryengineer.com

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Jemma, Jo and Lise were on hand to speak with teachers from across Scotland about Primary Engineer® Programmes, as well as talk about the Leaders Award competition which has now been launched for 2018/19.

Teachers were also able to see the Roll-Over-Bench fresh from its appearance at the Glasgow Science Centre and see how a pupil’s design can be brought to life and built into a prototype. Many of the teachers we met were already involved with the competition and were looking forward to taking part again. Those that hadn’t entered before definitely left inspired and we are looking forward to seeing what the pupils come up with this year!

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Primary Engineer engaged with hundreds of children and parents and ran the Leaders Award activity where we ask the question “If you were an engineer what would you do?” Children of all ages were asked to think of a problem and then come up with an engineering-based solution, luckily for them engineers were on hand to help inspire them.

In addition a previous winning entry which has been made into a prototype was on the display. The Roll-Over-Bench drew lots of attention and it was great to also have Gemma from the Proto Team on hand to discuss how a drawing became reality.

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