Hackney school children become engineers for the day
Local primary school children along with Cabinet Members experienced a taste of civil engineering at Here East in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, as part of an initiative encouraging pupils to pursue careers in science and engineering.
The programme, called Bridges to Schools, was launched by the Institution of Civil Engineers in 2012 and aims to inspire and motivate young people to take up a career in a science or engineering field through interactive workshops.
Pupils from Gainsborough Primary School, with some help from Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for Education, Young People and Children’s Social Care Cllr Anntoinnette Bramble and Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Human Resources Cllr Carole Williams, worked as a team to build a 13-metre model cable-stayed bridge.
The pupils learnt about the importance of safe working practices and collaboration as well as the engineering principles and techniques involved in building a bridge.
Bridges to Schools’ is a great example of how we can work with our partners at London Legacy Development Corporation and the Institution of Civil Engineers and infrastructure group to promote the benefits of careers in civil engineering, and the impact the profession has on society among our young people.
Days like this have the ability to instill a passion in pupils and I’m confident this programme will inspire our future engineers.
