Catch Them Young
"Is greater inspiration at a younger age the key
to the shortage of engineers?"
to the shortage of engineers?"
asks Alistair Brook of Autodesk
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If this current economic gloom has any silver lining at all, it could be that it teaches teenagers that careers such as banking or trading on the stock markets are not necessarily the fast route to easy wealth. Instead, it may encourage more hard-working, talented young people to re-evaluate the opportunities of engineering. What comes around goes around, as they say, and perhaps it really is time for a reversal of ideas and attitudes.
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However, perhaps the changes within the engineering and manufacturing industries - in the way it works, its processes, workflow and very culture, could act as the final spur needed. When these are translated and communicated into very young students - even when they have first begun at secondary school, mindsets could be transformed entirely. |
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Imagine you are sitting in a design and technology class now. It's nearing the end of the afternoon - you are slightly bored, tired and listless. How would you respond to then having to create 2D plans for a new design? |
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Which would you prefer? In fact, in schools across Europe, children are being introduced to the ease and accuracy of 3D design using the industry standard - Autodesk Inventor. But, will this entice them into becoming engineers?
Encouraging schoolchildren and university students to enjoy using 3D design software is certainly a step in the right direction. But, there are several aspects to catching and nurturing potential engineers while they are young.
While it's important to get them designing like engineers, they also need to be guided to think for themselves, and in doing so work differently and creatively. As has been shown in the manufacturing industry time and time again - it is often creativity itself that is the main differentiator and rarely do CAD or engineering courses teach this.
Consequently, Autodesk has developed the Creative Curriculum, a visionary new initiative which is already being used in university engineering and product design departments and has been "road-tested" in a range of London schools where it is helping teachers prepare students for key stages three and four, GCSE and 'A' Level and Engineering Diploma.
Although the course focuses on what can be achieved using digital design, the use of software is only a part of the story. Rather, the emphasis is on innovation and creativity and inspiring students to think differently.
Several teachers have said that, since they started using Inventor at schools, students prefer to spend the afternoon in the school laboratories rather than doing nothing. 3D is really motivating them and stimulating their energy and creativity.
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In fact, this isn't such a foolish idea. Students and teachers can actually download the software on their home computers via the Autodesk Student Engineering and Design Community (www.autodesk.co.uk/edcommunity) and over 500,000 students and teachers across the globe have already downloaded almost one million copies. The community itself is also highly active with members from more than 18,000 schools across 139 countries and it has just received the Further Education & Skills Digital Content Award at the 2009 BETT Awards.
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But it's not just in secondary schools that this innovative approach is making an impact. The curriculum is also being taught in some of engineering's most prestigious universities and further education establishments across Europe - for, example, at the Technische Universitat in Munich |
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as part of its entrepreneurship programme; it will shortly be integrated into courses at Chalmers University in Sweden and at the University of Bristol. Autodesk is also working on a creativity curriculum and creative teaching strategy with the recently-founded Warwick Digital Labs, part of the University of Warwick. |
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On a broader level, students taking part in the long-running Formula Student, single seat racing car design and build competition can download the Autodesk Formula Car Design Curriculum free of charge. This resource provides powerful, learning tools for Inventor which help teams create more innovative designs and, more success on the race track.
Perhaps the current economic reality check will mean more students opt for courses such as engineering of their own accord. However, teaching children that design is as much about aesthetics and original thinking as it is about dry calculations and constant re-checking, could help to turn the tide.
CAD Spaghetti is grateful to Autodesk Education and Whiteoaks Consultancy for their contribution to this article.
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