b'Member News March 2023 11EducationEngineering Kids Futures In November 2021, the IET wrote a letter urging the Government to help tackle the UKs engineering skills shortage by better embedding engineering into the curriculum.Following this, the IETIETs Head of Education, Safeguardinginitiated a series of& Education Policy, David Lakin, said roundtables across the UK between March and September 2022.The roundtables broughtthe Engineering Kids Future report together over 100offers a real opportunity for the IET representatives from ato demonstrate its commitment to wide range of stakeholderbeing a champion for engineering groups, including industry, academia, education, STEMand technology education across the whole of the UK. We can only achieve our aim to significantly Chi Onwurah MP speaking at the Engineering Kids Futures report launch event.increase the numbers of quality Engineering providers and the civilintegral in developingengineers and technicians entering Kids Futuresservice. The roundtablesour recommendations to A series of r the workforce by letting young Government to recommendations to the UKgathered expert opinion,government, presented aise the profile of engagementpeople see the opportunities that in engineering and technology within schools. advice, and evidencein the Engineering Kids regarding potential optionsFutures report, launched ona career in the engineering sector for the development ofWednesday, 7 Decemberpresents, and by embedding engineering teaching and2022 at an eveningengineering and technology into learning within UK schools. reception in the House ofthe mainstream curriculum.theiet.org/engineeringkidsfutures The outputs from theseCommons, kindly sponsored roundtables wereby Chi Onwurah MP. For more information and a to download the Engineering Kids Futures report, please visit theiet.org/EngineeringKidsFuturesBackpack to the Future winnerThe IET announced the winner of its Backpack to the Future competition at the start of the yearwith 12-year-old Eleanor Wood from Huddersfield winning the competition with her Breathe Back Better backpack. Her innovative design is all about keeping friends, classmates, family,creativity to dream up the Backpack to and people with asthma or hay fever safe from diseases. With athe Future. We received over 330 entries built-in air filter, powered by a dynamo and solar panel, it transfersfrom across the UK, with other ideas light and movement energy to power the air cleaner. including a backpack that helps poorlyEleanors winning design. On winning, Eleanor said: I was really shocked when I found out Idanimals, a backpack that helps the won, I really didnt expect anything when I entered the competition!environment with a hose for watering plants and seeds to plant trees, I thought of my backpack to help clean the air because some of myand a backpack with arms that hugs you if you are having a bad day.family and friends have asthma and hayfever and it could help them.The competition was part of the IETs annual Engineer a Better Im very happy the judges chose my entry as the winner. I think its aWorld campaign aimed at inspiring children and their parents great idea to have cleaner air anywhere you like! about the opportunities available in modern engineering and We joined forces with global fashion brand HYPE. and sustainabletechnology, and encouraging them to think about careers in materials company Biophilica to challenge children to use theirthese fields in the future.Check out Eleanors winning design in full at www.engineer-a-better-world.org'