Engineering careers ready for take-off
The motivation to pursue a career in engineering may differ from student to student. There are some students who are drawn to the field of engineering because they have a natural curiosity about how things work. For others, it is the desire for a successful career and to bring forth new accomplishments. A career in engineering requires a solid foundation in mathematics and science, but, today, fewer and fewer young people study these subjects. And while there is still a strong demand for engineers — despite high unemployment in the overall workforce —Europe faces an increasing shortage of technical talent. The EU-funded project 'Promoting aeronautics innovation and research' (PROMO-AIR) was initiated to raise the interest of young Europeans in scientific and technical studies. To achieve this objective, six academic and industrial partners have joined efforts to improve the image of a career in aeronautics. Project partners are assembling educational material with the achievements of past and ongoing research and development projects. The educational material is in digital form and includes videos, games and e-brochures distributed through the project website and social networks. A different way to encourage and support young men and women to pursue studies in aeronautics and aviation is through early hands-on experiences that complement and extend the classroom curriculum. Students are offered the opportunity to visit universities where aeronautics-related research is carried out. PROMO-AIR also organises the European Aeronautics Science Week (EASW), during which universities and research institutes from 28 EU countries will be open to young students. The event is scheduled for the second half of March 2015 and aims to showcase partnerships that benefit innovation in the aeronautics industry. These open days will let young Europeans get a glimpse of what it is like to be a student pursuing an engineering degree. A challenging game competition will also offer a number of visitors a ticket to visit the Airbus assembly line in Toulouse, France, where engineers will explain technical concepts in a way the visitors will be able to understand. The aeronautics community is large and needs all types of individual skills to help it fulfil its mission. For PROMO-AIR partners, the key to helping students realise that there is a place for them regardless of their current math and science abilities is to introduce them to different career paths within the industry.
Keywords
Engineering careers, aeronautics, innovation and research, Science Week, assembly line
