Govt taps into World Cup to push engineering careers

The Government is aiming to capitalise on World Cup fever to encourage school kids to wake up to the joys of a career in engineering, as well as demonstrate how engineering touches all areas of our lives, even football.
Devised by 23red, the initiative is the latest phase of the “Year of Engineering” campaign, which sees the agency teaming up with FIFA’s Technology Innovation Department to create a set of unique school resources.
23red has also worked with education consultancy Hopscotch to produce two free curriculum-linked STEM resources, available to download from the Year of Engineering website.
The resources demonstrate the engineering behind the latest game-changing innovations including Video Assistant Referee and Goal Line Technology, both of which are being used this year for the first time in a World Cup tournament.
Pupils can also watch videos case studies, to discover how a job in engineering could combine a passion for sport with an exciting and fulfilling career.
The Year of Engineering is a landmark campaign to give young people inspiring engineering experiences in 2018.
The industry needs 203,000 skilled people each year to 2024, and has an annual shortage of 20,000 graduates. The workforce also faces a major lack of diversity – only 11% of engineers are female and just 6% come from black, Asian or minority ethnic groups.
The campaign aims to help change this by giving young people in all corners of the UK the chance to take a closer look at engineering by experiencing it for themselves.
Year of Engineering Minister Nusrat Ghani said: “This is all about showing young people that engineering careers are exciting, creative, and an opportunity to shape the future. That’s why we’re thrilled to be joining forces with FIFA’s Technology Innovation Department at international football’s ultimate flagship tournament. We want children from all backgrounds to realise that even if their ambitions lie on the sports field then engineering can still open up a world of exciting opportunities.”
23red chief executive and founder Jane Asscher added: “Engineering is an incredibly creative and versatile career path to choose and this campaign was all about showcasing this to young people. Demonstrating that something as popular and fun as football offers careers in engineering was the perfect choice, especially with the World Cup this summer, making FIFA the ideal partner.”