- Free event for families hosted by University of Sheffield aims to foster next generation of aerospace engineers
- Flying Futures will be held at Kelham Island Museum on Wednesday 5 April between 12-3pm
- The organisers hope to show all children how exciting a career in aviation can be and challenge young engineers’ problem solving, creativity and collaboration skills
The Flying Futures Roadshow, which is visiting fifteen local primary schools to give children a taste of being an aerospace engineer, is hosting a free for all event at Kelham Island Museum next week on Wednesday 5 April 2023 at 12-3pm.
The event, which is for primary school age children and their families, is free for all, and will host a variety of activities to get children to think about some of the current and future questions in aviation and aerospace.
One such question looks at how we might use personal flight technology for everyday use, asking, “how do we jet a pet to the vet?” Children will get the chance to create their own pet aircrafts, considering how to take off and land and then test their designs using a custom made launch device before iterating their designs to make them fly better.
This project is led by Maker{Futures} of the University of Sheffield, in partnership with The Work-Wise Foundation and the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious Award.
It brings together local engineers from industry and academia with schools to strengthen perceptions of engineering as an attractive, valuable and accessible future career option; and aims to challenge young engineers’ problem solving, creativity and collaboration skills to address some of the big questions facing the aviation industry.
A young girl at a recent event said to mechanical engineer David Bowlder: “When I grow up I am going to be an Engineer… . Keep your eyes on the television, you will hear about me there!”
The inspiration for Flying Futures is the Avro Vulcan XH558 with its impressive technical innovations, which placed Britain at the forefront of aircraft design over seventy years ago.
South Yorkshire has a rich network of aerospace engineering companies feeding the global aerospace supply chain. However, businesses are struggling to recruit the right talent due to a nation-wide shortfall of skilled engineers entering the workforce. Engineering has traditionally struggled to recruit a diverse workforce and women, people with disabilities and ethnic minority backgrounds have been underrepresented. Many young people have decided by the age of 11 that they do not want to be an engineer. By involving children in projects such as Flying Futures from a young age, the organisers hope to broaden their experiences and open up the world of creative problem solving to them.
Dave, a retired electrical engineer and volunteer for Flying Futures, said: “Engagement with a wide range of kids, particularly those with additional needs has been the project's greatest success”.
There is a Flying Futures family event, free for all to attend, taking place on the 5th April 2023. Get involved by dropping in between 12 and 3pm. Location: Upper Gallery, Kelham Island Museum S3 8RY