This week I had the best time at Primary Engineer’s “If you were an Engineer what would you do?” exhibition and awards in Burnley. This national competition had over 70,000 entries this year and earlier in the year we announced a new partnership with this brilliant organisation. This relationship is borne from an uneasy weariness that much of our skills focus as a sector is on those leaving school and graduates. This is absolutely where our focus should be. But at LCRIG we are always keen not to repeat what others are doing but complement or focus on areas not always being considered.
The first part of the awards was an opportunity to look at the shortlisted designs from the Burnley Schools region. Joined by our board member for skills, Dwayne Lowe (Bolton Council) we spent time looking at the shortlisted designs. It was only a month or so ago that we took part in the judging, so it was brilliant to see all the designs again.
The engineering solution ideas imagined by children covered everything from cleaning robots to medical support aids, a miracle dresser (that chooses your clothes for you), and a charging treadmill. My favourites were a hairbrush that did whatever style you wanted in one brush, an infinite battery, and a handy helper glove to help people with arthritis. The exhibition was also a great opportunity to see parents, grandparents, friends, teachers, local businesses involved in the judging, and Primary Engineer staff celebrating young children’s ideas.
I heard so many times in the exhibition “What a great idea, why don’t we do this!” The creativity amongst the designs was breath taking. It reminds me of one of the very early TED talks by Sir Ken Robinson, sadly departed, who did a powerful and funny talk on Do schools kill creativity? First aired in 2006 and with over 77 million views it certainly posed how creativity can be quashed in young minds. I hope that the designs we saw will inspire future creative Engineers.
Who won in the evening? Well, the winning design was from a young girl who I hope will continue to be creative as she grows up. Her design of connected suitcases was a practical and worthy winner of the age-old problem of pulling lots of suitcases at the airport. And whilst our board member had differing views, he, like other judges, liked the suitcase connectivity solution. I liked the helping hands for older people. You can see both designs above which would you have chosen?
Where can you see the ideas generated by the competition like those in the pictures below? Well, I am pleased to say we have arranged to bring the exhibition boards to the Innovation and Learning Festival – I hope it inspires attendees as much as we were!
Paula Claytonsmith, CEO
