It’s British Science Week – a celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths.
British Science Week (8 March to 17 March) – celebrates science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and features events and activities across the country for all ages.
It’s a platform to support teachers, STEM professionals and the public to produce and take part in STEM activities and events.
We’re always working to excite future engineers about the railway:
Our new Awesome Railways resources for schools will teach more young people about careers on the network.
The Awesome Railways leaflet and animation tells children why railways are vital to Britain and why STEM are so important to their development.
We think trains and railways are awesome, and that’s why we need girls and boys at school today to learn about science, maths and technology – so that you can help us to invent and design the railways of the future.
Skills gap
At Network Rail, we invite our employees to get involved with early engagement activities by becoming STEM ambassadors. These ambassadors support young people in developing their careers to help close the national skills gap in STEM subjects and predicted shortfall of engineers and technically skilled people in the transport sector.
The UK requires 124,000 engineers and technicians with core engineering skills across the economy each year up to 2024, according to a report, Engineering UK: The state of engineering. There is an additional requirement for 79,000 related roles, requiring a mixed application of engineering knowledge and skill alongside other skill sets.
However, the report anticipates a shortfall of between 37,000 and 59,000 due to the supply of talent coming through education.
Young engineer impresses rail industry
Last month, a 10-year-old schoolboy from Tamworth won praise from Network Rail and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for entering an international bridge design competition.
Budding young engineer and bridge enthusiast William Tonks impressed the judges with his design for a fully accessible railway footbridge, which he had pit against 120 entries from 19 countries.
William’s timber and steel-inspired design didn’t win but gained plaudits from the panel for his imagination, innovation and enthusiasm.
Sir Peter Hendy, chair of Network Rail, said: “We hope he goes on to become a railway engineer – we need him and many others in the future.”
William and his parents with Sir Peter Hendy