Making Successful Careers in Engineering through MEH

In 2022, we welcomed a new addition to the MEH team, chemical engineer, Kenya Umanah who is our project coordinator. Kenya helps in coordinating all projects and events including work experience coordination. We also introduced Al Joan who joins as an MEH Champion as our volunteer.

MEH Careers Day with Balfour Beatty

7th Jun 2022

About Event: Virtual guidance on how to write a CV, and what should be expected at interviews, how to apply and what to include in a cover letter.

AFBE-UK Schools (Making Engineering Hot - MEH) partnered with Balfour Beatty PLC for an informative and fun-filled Careers Day. We kicked started the day a welcome note and Overview of Balfour Beatty then followed a graduate sharing their real-life experience about the graduate Scheme application. After this, attendees had the opportunity to hear about the application process Experience, Interview and receive CV advice which they were then quizzed on after the break. Prizes were awarded to the top three students who answered the quiz questions correctly.

Making Engineering Hot also commemorated A Day in the Life of an Engineer on National Youth Day. Our virtual panellists, speakers, and 30 students from across the country including London and Birmingham were a blast to work with. Our speakers had the chance to show off their incredible work to the children, and it was both motivating and educational. Finally, two outstanding students each received a one-week placements and a £50 gift card.

A Day in The Life of An Engineer

Robotics at London South Bank University – 14th Jun 2022

About Event: These workshops will be used to learn the principles of coding through programming Lego robots. The workshops are used to learn the principles of 3D printing and coding through programming robots with the aim of have 10 – 15 students per workshop

MEH kicked of this year’s robotics session with St Joseph’s College students during their work experience week. The students had the opportunity to learn about the various coding languages and then try out coding themselves. The students were tasked to programme robots for a racecourse which included the robot being able detect any obstacles in its path. The students also had the opportunity to learn about 3D printing and see how 3D printing is done using very specialist machines. Thank you so much to London South Bank University, Dr Safia and her team for being so hands.

Over the course of 2022 we ran a total of 6 sessions with over 15 students attending on average. In addition we ran a session at Gray’s Covent High School, Thurrock were the LSBU volunteers delivered 2 sessions to over 45 students.

Bright Sparks with RS Components – 17th Jun 2022

About Event: The MEH team represented AFBE-UK at the RS Grassroots EW Bright Sparks 2022, which took place on Friday 17th June, at IET Savoy Place London in the Riverside Room with over 75 attendees. The annual programme is to highlight the brightest and most talented young engineers in the UK today. EW BrightSparks is now in its fifth year, and were looking for the engineers who are already making a difference in the first years of their careers, or those who are still studying but showing promise to become the innovators and leaders in electronics in the years to come.

MEH International Women in Engineering Day Event – 23rd Jun 2022

There were many thought provoking questions from the students which led to interesting discussions on the world of engineering, the perceptions of engineering, climate change, and the benefits of studying engineering.

The event was fantastic opportunity for the over 30 students in attendance across, Southwark and Thurrock to hear from inspirational women in the industry such as aerospace, infrastructure and water. Prizes were awarded to the most studious students.

Mock Assessment with Balfour Beatty – 22nd Sept 2022

About Event: Inspiring female STEM professionals talk about their career journeys to 25 -30 students, discuss challenges, Opportunities for the all in STEM.

AFBE-UK Making Engineering Hot celebrated International Women in Engineering Day INWED 2022 Day with a virtual panellist discussion which was amazing, we had students from Grays Convent Girls School Gray’s and Montpelier High School.

Mimi Nwosu delivered an amazing keynote speech. Mimi is a young civil engineering professional. This was followed by a panel session which included Michelle Zemura, Jainna Bhalla, Monisha Gower, Lisa Monkman, Samantha Pan, Srimali Dixon, Sophie Skelton and Hanna Eckersall. The panellist discussed degree apprenticeships, transitioning from a Law degree to working in engineering amongst other intersecting topics

About Event: Partnered with Balfour Beatty PLC for an informative and fun-filled Mock Assessment Day for 15 -20 students. The day included career advice, interview tips, mock interviews and inspirational talk.

The mock assessment for 22/23 academic year with Balfour Beatty took place on 22nd September 2022 with over 20 students in attendance. We were hosted by Balfour Beatty at their beautiful London Canary wharf office.

Thank you to our wonderful speakers Darci Hill, Shofolahan Moriamo, Joshua Cook, Jake Fitzgerald and to our Making Engineering Hot Team Project Coordinator Kenya.

It was an insightful and engaging activity for the students. The students were taught how to write a CV, and cover letter, and how to apply for jobs and prepare for interviews. The students were also given the opportunity to share their experiences, and their knowledge was later tested through a mock interview and presentation.

Diversity Impact with King’s College

London – Oct 2022 - Dec 2022

About Event: Diversity Impact Programme is designed to support black engineering students at school and university. The programme is funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering’s new Diversity Impact Programme to address the unequal outcomes experienced by students from diverse and underrepresented groups. Plans to reach AFBE UK/ KCL Diversity Impact Program Partnership is 300 young people.

The first event “Routes into Engineering” took place on 5th October 2022. The event took place online with a inspirational speaker sharing their journey into Engineering. Over 40 young people from London and Birmingham attended. They also heard about the amazing opportunities at KCL.

The 2nd event which took place on the Kings College University’s Guy’s Campus which included a tour of the campus. Dr Kawal Rhode delivered a talk that gave the student an insight into how technology has evolved using medical devices and technology he has used during his career.

Both sessions were informative and had interactive activity for the students and on average has over 25 attendees, who all enjoyed it and asked a lot of questions and were interested in the mentoring as well.

We would like to thank all who made it happen and to the entire team from KCL.

Thank you to our outstanding speakers Dr Kawal Rhode, Abdoul Aziz, Elsa-Marie Otoo, Ernest Kamavuako and to our Making Engineering Hot team who did an amazing job moderating and coordinating the event.

Little STEM Leader – AFBE-UK MEH

Kunda Kidz – Oct 29th 2022

About Event: The purpose of the event was for children to enjoy themselves while being inspired by all of the possibilities in STEM. According to the feedback we received, the kids had a wonderful exposure and experience that helped them gain confidence while also sharpening their problem-solving and creative talents.

We celebrated Black History Month with Kunda Kidz with an event for children from 3 – 11 years old. The audience who were over 30 children and parents/guardians from across the greater London including Southwark and Lambeth borough experienced a live book reading of Maliks Bridge This was followed by an interactive activity where children were split into teams of three and had to build bridges with their guardian’s assistance. followed with an interactive activity where children were split into teams of three and had to build bridges with their guardian’s assistance. During the workshop attendees were kept entertained by DJ Zel UK. The interactive session was then followed by and a brief panel discussion with some recent engineering graduates and Avye Coulote Young Engineer of the Year 2022.

King Solomon Career Day – 5th Dec 2022

We ended our year with an impactful event at King Solomons college in Birmingham where we had our sponsors for the event Cundall and TetraTech. The students were inspired and asked further questions on how they could get into the apprenticeship program.

45 minute sessions were held throughout the day with a total of 300 participants. Each session including an introduction to engineering talk, an interactive activity and a quiz.

Finally

Finally we would not have been able to do this without the support of Dr Safia Barikzai, LSBU, Cundall, TetraTech and WSP.

WSP has been consistent in supporting our digital poverty and recently have over 50 laptops to MEH schools in London and the Teeside.

On a personal note I was delighted to be featured in the E and T magazine where I discussed my passion and work at AFBE with the wonderful Dr Shini Somara.

Article by Zainab Adigun, MEH programme Lead

Zainab Adigun is a structural engineer at Pell Frischmann ant has been in the industry for 5 years. Zainab enjoys connecting young people to engineering through the use of various activities is vital in educating them on the huge pool of career paths available to them.

Having planned and led a number of interactive sessions herself she knows the importance of the MEH is unquestionable to helping a young person’s mind open up to the life of an engineer.