2013-05-24T08:34:07-04:00 Dr Gordon Mizner http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=dr-gordon-mizner Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Dr Gordon Mizner Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3083542 2013-04-15T06:40:01-04:00 2013-04-17T06:04:31-04:00

Dr Gordon Mizner http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gordon-mizner/
It has long been recognised that industry has a vital role to play in attracting and preparing its own future workforce. Young people respond in large part to their own experiences and to role models that they come across in deciding their future career paths. Schools can provide them with knowledge and advice but companies need to engage with schools if students are to make the real world connections and experiences which will open their eyes to the opportunities in local industry. This will need an investment of time and often of money, but this all needs to be seen in the context of recruitment of the future workforce, an issue in which all companies recognise that they need to invest to succeed.

The thing to note about The Prince of Wales's contribution to the issue is that he has inspired and launched an initiative which enables companies to make a major impact in creating recognition, understanding and even pride among young people for their local industrial excellence. The initiative is called Industrial Cadets and was piloted by Tata Steel in the North East of England following discussions that The Prince of Wales had with the company's senior management during a site visit in 2010. The success of the pilot and the ensuing demand for places has led to the rollout of Industrial Cadets on a national basis coordinated by EDT , with seed funding support provided from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The premise of Industrial Cadets is very simple. Work in commercial industry is largely invisible to young people and their families, even when that industry is in their local area. The young people, therefore, often do not make a mental link between their future careers and what can be very successful engineering and technology companies in their locality. As a result students who are well suited to such careers will study subjects that cut them off from the excellent opportunities in engineering and technology on their doorstep. The double tragedy is that all projections show that these same engineering and technology industries face a widening skills recruitment gap over coming years which could threaten the UK's excellent reputation in these sectors.

Industrial Cadets provides a flexible means by which industrial companies can engage with schools in their local area by providing hands-on project and site visit experiences which give students a taste of local industry. A framework structure allows different companies to tailor their engagement to their own company needs and those of the local schools and yet deliver a consistent and high quality set of experiences which address both careers awareness and provide some development of employability skills.

In recent years there has been too much of a "disconnect" between industry and education. Major companies have often done their own thing in different ways to make the links, but the huge numbers of medium sized and small companies have typically not identified any way in which they can viably and sustainably engage with their local schools. The advent of Industrial Cadets as a national initiative will provide such an opportunity for companies to pick a mechanism "off the shelf" and to participate in networks that enable them to engage with the individuals who might be their future employees. Companies will be participating with an initiative that is increasingly well understood as an idea which helps both students and industry and therefore they will be providing a link in a process which it is hoped will go a long way to addressing the concerns that The Prince of Wales, along with many industry leaders, has expressed.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1985058 2012-10-19T05:45:58-04:00 2012-12-19T05:12:01-05:00

Dr Gordon Mizner http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gordon-mizner/
These frustrations can wear you down, so it is always a tonic to attend an event which makes you realise that you are making progress and that all the hard work is worth it. One such event was the Year in Industry Awards recently held at the BT Auditorium in London. The nine top performers from the many hundreds who take part in the Year in Industry across Britain came to give final presentations on the work they have been doing to a panel of judges who would make the final decisions on the award winners.

At this event it was possible to see the outworking of all that we try to achieve, young people who have been inspired into working in commercial roles using science and engineering, who are passionate and inspiring about what they do and who have achieved considerable commercial benefits for their companies on the projects they have been undertaking. Among the companies that have employed these young people for the year are the visionary major companies such as Rolls Royce and E.on, other well established companies who are not perhaps such household names such as Pall International and Delphi Diesel Systems and rapidly growing new companies such as the lighting company acdc and the commercial vehicle body manufactures Ingimex, all companies that recognise the benefits of nurturing the next generation for the good of their businesses.

The companies involved are impressive but, I am sure they would acknowledge, not as impressive as the young people themselves who simply stun me with the enthusiasm and innovation with which they tackle the projects they are set by their companies. Every one of the finalists at the Year in Industry event was praised by their companies for going beyond the remit of the brief and showing extraordinary tenacity, imagination and work ethic.

None demonstrated these qualities more than the overall winner Jieying Luo, from Barry in South Wales who was tasked by Delphi Diesel to expand their reference injector storage area. As a result of her work a new secure storage area was installed with sufficient capacity for a further five years; previously the lack of storage space was at crisis point. Jieying also created a portable device that can identify any injector by scanning its data matrix and automatically write the reference information onto a RFID tag within 3 seconds, reducing the time of tag writing by 90% and greatly reducing the possibility for human errors. The judges rightly saw her efforts as making a very significant contribution to Delphi Diesels and gave her the top Year in Industry Award for making the best contribution to the business.

It wasn't until after the competition that I learned something of Jieying's own background. In 2006 Jieying's mother (YanPing Zeng ) left the young Jieying to come to the UK to seek to make a base for Jieying to join her at a later date, determined as she was that she would make the best possible future for Jieying. Jieying stayed with her father Yiwen in China until her mother had made a base in South Wales by working long hours in restaurants so that Jieying could join her in May 2009. Jieying had virtually no English but was accepted on an A level course in Cardiff. She spent her nights translating her text books as she could understand so little of what the teachers were saying. Two years later however, Jieying had achieved 4 A* A levels and a place at Jesus College Cambridge to read Engineering and one year after that has carried off the top prize in the Year in Industry. No wonder that Delphi Diesel hope that one day she will return to them as a qualified engineer.

If I ever need to be reminded of why I do what I do, an evening in the company of such remarkable young people does the trick. The more able young people we can provide with a taste of industry through The Year in Industry and similar schemes for different age groups, the more we can be confident that the future of our science and engineering companies is in good hands.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1467481 2012-05-01T10:36:14-04:00 2012-07-01T05:12:24-04:00

Dr Gordon Mizner http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gordon-mizner/
While I have commented in previous blogs on the great role of inspirational teachers in the work to engage and support young people into careers associated with science, engineering and technology, several reports over recent years have indicated that a central factor required is employer engagement.

There are a number of organisations including Employers Education Taskforce, Business in the Community, EngineeringUK, and EDT, who are doing great work trying to facilitate employer/employee engagement with young people and schools. There are also quite a few large companies who have dedicated resources to manage their own engagement, but many companies simply can't do this.

The problem is that, particularly in the STEM related areas in which I work, we cannot get a sufficient volume of employers to engage on a sustained and consistent basis. There are so many more schools and students with whom we could engage if only we could get the required volume of company support. Most senior directors with whom I liaise recognise the importance of engaging with education, particularly when the reality is that the demographic challenge means that even to stand still on recruitment in to STEM jobs they need to increase the proportions of school leavers entering STEM industries. These directors see the benefits to the business and generally show support for action; however, the process of engagement can still be slow and inconsistent, with difficulties in embedding the necessary budget and action through their organisations.

When it comes to the cost for these activities I realise it is often about perception of value. An example: it costs us about £500 to arrange, operate and administer a visit of a party of students to a local company; ok we can argue about the precise costs, but the point is that there is a cost. Some company reaction we get is: "...you want us to pay as well as opening our doors?" Well, yes, someone has to cover the cost. Many think they can do it themselves and don't need the likes of EDT, which is fine. But can they do it on a sustainable and consistent manner, with evaluation of impact to ensure that the students get the benefit? Certainly not for less than it costs the organisations that specialise in this area. I am sure companies realise this when they think about it, but it's just the perception and the cash value from already strapped budgets which causes many to step back when they need to step forward.

Having spent 30 years in industry I suppose I shouldn't be surprised how difficult it is to get the costs for these activities recognised and embedded in the budgeting process. Many people we come across believe that the costs will be covered by someone else, and that engagement with education can be left to the good intentions and commitment of employees working with schools and teachers. Let me be clear at this point; we work with many committed and dedicated employees who give of their time to support what we and others do. Long may this continue; they are to be applauded and should be recognised more within their companies. However, it is only by embedding it in the organisation and strategy that the benefits of engagement will be seen both for the company and the young people.

A good example of a company that we have worked with for many years is Sharp Laboratories of Europe, where the Managing Director Dr Stephen Bold has taken a personal interest. When I asked him recently why Sharp has been such a strong supporter of the curriculum based industry visits we have been organising on their behalf these past eight years, his answer slightly surprised me:

"The members of the lab who have regularly shown their work to year 11 students stand out a mile. We have wonderfully clever people here but not all scientists are natural communicators. Seeing your work through the eyes of 16 year olds and learning how to present so that you keep them on the edge of their seats are great skills to have. So it shows who has done that, and they are superb at presenting projects to senior managers. If you can get your ideas across to year 11 students, then main boards are easy."

Now this employee CPD is only one of many benefits to companies from engagement. Others relate to profile, recruitment and project work with older students, and that's even before the CSR agenda which I think will gradually be replaced by the concept of Creating Shared Values which Prof Michael Porter (he of the Porter's forces) has been working on recently.

But I come back to the main objective, which is to get more young people really interested in following a STEM related career. Given the numbers we shall have to recruit into STEM industries in the next few years, we need many more employers to engage on a sustained basis to develop the necessary momentum and direction. Embedding the costs in to their budget and planning processes will enable their involvement to make a significant contribution to the solution of the STEM skills shortage.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1329622 2012-03-08T03:32:22-05:00 2012-05-07T05:12:02-04:00

Dr Gordon Mizner http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gordon-mizner/
We are a nation built on our manufacturing strength, our ability to innovate, and the excellence of our science, engineering and technology sectors. The science and engineering professions are the lifeblood of our current industrial base and, we are told, of our future prospects for economic growth as a nation. Yet public perception of these industries and the people who work in them is not as high as it should be. Mark Elbourne, General Electric's UK President and CEO spoke last month about the lack of status of, and lack of respect for, engineers. He pointed out that such low public esteem influenced children's perceptions and that schools are not sufficiently geared to correct their attitudes to the subject. Indeed, this was echoed many a time at the recent conference of the manufacturer's organisation EEF, where the skills pipeline and the image of manufacturing were bemoaned time and again from the floor and the stage.

EDT works with business and schools to inspire children into science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers. As part of our internal quality control we survey over 2,000 12 to 14 year olds each year about their attitudes to scientists and engineers. The results confirm that there is work to do, with too many initial perceptions of engineers focusing on "dirty hands", "repairs cars" and "wears overalls", and not enough viewing them as "professional" or "well paid". Similarly scientists are not typically viewed as "professional" or "well paid", albeit that they are recognised as being "clever" and "logical".

To maintain our international strength in science and engineering the UK needs to generate significant increases in the proportions of scientists and engineers coming out of our education system. Increasing demand and dropping school rolls over the next ten years combine to present a looming recruitment problem for these vital industries, and the education system needs to respond. Mark Elbourne is in a good position to know, when he says "Young engineers have the world in the palm of their hands; the appetite for them is insatiable." A lot of good work is being done to inspire positive views of STEM subjects, views that need to be formed as early as 14 to inform pupils' choice of subjects to study at GSCE and A level. We need to keep up the positive work which is being undertaken by many organisations to challenge the perceptions which lead our children to ignore careers which offer them great opportunities and are vital to the country's future prosperity.

This is why initiatives like National Science and Engineering Week are vital and it would be good to see a greater volume of support from politicians and other opinion formers to get positive messages out about the importance of science and engineering and to encourage students and their families into a more positive outlook. Yet more is needed than Science and Engineering week and there are many science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiatives in schools, including those run by EDT. It is probably in focusing more resource on these that the best hope can be found.

Our own experience is that pupils' perceptions can be significantly affected by the information and inspiration that is provided by relatively straightforward exposure to science and engineering projects and contact with mentors from industry. The survey work highlighted above was undertaken with year 8 and 9 pupils before they took part in Go4SET, a programme which involves them working on an environmental project connected with their school and being mentored by staff from local science and engineering companies. This experience results in a significant change in attitudes when the same survey is completed by the pupils at the end of the programme. Over 62% say they are more likely to study STEM subjects at school than before the programme (34% unchanged).

This experience confirms the findings of research by the Education and Employers taskforce in February which found a strong link between activities involving employers, and young peoples' career choices and prospects. The Taskforce confirms that there is "compelling evidence that young people are especially attentive and trusting of first hand information about jobs and career pathways received from employers". It therefore seems that, as well as important activities like National Science and Engineering Week and the Big Bang Fair, there is an ongoing requirement to engage pupils at school. We need to ensure that they undertake real projects, and are mentored by real scientists and engineers, in order to make the significant impact which is required to fill the science and engineering jobs which are coming available in the next ten years.

Mark Elbourne is right to ring alarm bells about the need to correct the faulty public perception of science and engineering careers. There is a great deal being done but I am concerned that there is still much to do, particularly among "hard to reach" pupils at schools with challenges of their own which make extra-curricular STEM programmes hard to accommodate.

But as a first step lets all shout as loud as we can about National Science and Engineering Week and the Big Bang Fair.
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1281021 2012-02-16T19:00:00-05:00 2012-04-17T05:12:01-04:00

Dr Gordon Mizner http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gordon-mizner/
However, if the benefits are so obvious why should students need inspiring? Shouldn't the message from the media be consistently positive about STEM as the exciting place to be? Shouldn't their parents and other influencers all be diligently pointing them in the right direction? Sadly this isn't always the case. Perceptions of STEM careers among 12/13-year-olds remain pretty bleak with research repeatedly finding that their image of an engineer is of someone with dirty hands who works on cars. Scientists remain characters wearing glasses and white coats, most probably with an uncontrollable hairstyle. Even where students show interest in science they don't see themselves following a related career. Clearly the input of the media and other influencers is not challenging such caricatures sufficiently, so the role of teachers to inspire students becomes even more crucial.

So how can teachers do this? - they can provide personal role models of course, but the demands of the curriculum leave little space to allow students to grasp the connection between the science and maths they are learning and the real world of work beyond the school gates. Teachers are asked to turn around the misconceptions that the rest of our culture still happily promotes and to provide the captains of the STEM industries of the future without a great deal of time and space in which to do it.

Our belief at EDT is that one way to challenge the misconceptions about STEM careers is to enable students to work on real projects involving the STEM disciplines that enable them to link their studies to real life. At the same time they can be provided with industry mentors who give them role models to aspire to in the STEM industries. We work with companies who are convinced that it is in their interests to spend resources engaging with local schools and we provide teachers with the resources they need to facilitate the process.

The schemes that we run in schools rely on teachers to support their students and guide them to get a true understanding of the opportunities of STEM careers. On occasion they need to work outside normal hours, supervising the groups of young people involved in the projects. We need them to take time and effort to inspire the students to undertake the projects in the first instance, and we need them to make the preparations that are required for allowing mentors from companies to engage with young people and for students to make off-site visits to the companies.

Of course there are benefits to teachers in this work - accreditation from the College of Teachers, useful industry links in the community, CPD benefits and excellent project work for their CV's, but for the most part the 2000 teachers across 1700 schools that we work with do it because they genuinely believe in what they are doing and want to enhance the career prospects of the children they teach.

As a charity we deeply appreciate their commitment and in a small way are trying to recognise the effort involved by making annual teacher awards at regional and national level to those who make exceptional contributions. Our national 2011 award went to Peter Crompton a teacher at Fortismere School in the London Borough of Haringey. Peter has been involved in EDT programmes since 1994 and he is involved in some way in every EDT scheme. As well as regularly involving Fortismere teams in EDT programmes Peter has played an active role in helping EDT develop and trial new programmes and has contributed to various support and advisory groups for the organisation. Alongside all this, Peter also acts as a mentor to teachers in other schools helping them to get the best from EDT's Go4SET programme for Year 8/9.

Peter is not an exception; there are teachers across the country making similar contributions of time and energy beyond their daily teaching load in order to give their students the experiences of STEM industries which our policy-makers hope will lead them to seriously consider careers in these vital industries. The contribution of these teachers is inspiring in every way and needs to be recognised by all those who wish to promote STEM courses and careers.
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