This might come across as a very strange question but is it uncommon to find engineers who did not enjoy school or think highly of the schools that they attended? I have encountered numerous computing and IT types over the years who did not enjoy school or had bad experiences at school but very few electrical or mechanical engineers.
I looked up how my old school was doing. Some of its catchment includes disadvantaged areas and a significant effort has been made in recent years under the “Academy” banner. They state “52% of students leave with a 4 (C Grade) or better in both English and Maths” .
Although I couldn’t gain an accurate picture about apprenticeships, 8% seemed to take one ( I think at age 16) with 86% continuing in full-time education. I wasn’t able to glean how many took an apprenticeship at 18. However from an estimated 25 students leaving at 18 for university, only 1 seems to have chosen Engineering, which was an Engineering and Applied Science Foundation programme at Aston, so I looked that up as well. This seems like a good option for someone who perhaps hasn’t been an academic “star” for any number of reasons, or able to pick up a higher or degree apprenticeship, but is interested in engineering and capable of getting a degree within 4 years. This raised the question in my mind about why this type of Student, highly likely to be from a less advantaged background, was subjected to the same tuition fees £9.250 PA as someone going to Oxbridge.
Perhaps those who represent the engineering profession have been too focussed on lauding the latter (deservedly so) rather than nurturing the former? The person from my old school will probably prove to be an excellent engineer and value adding employee of the future, of the kind that we apparently lack in significant numbers and have to import. They are unlikely to have had the apprenticeship opportunities of my generation, coincidentally in my case thanks to the subject of another new thread, Power Generation using Coal (400+ good local jobs, 10+ apprenticeships each year) now zero. If they do find their way into the world of PEIs, I hope that they find a warm welcome rather than snobbery. After all, many of us have travelled a similar path!
I looked up how my old school was doing. Some of its catchment includes disadvantaged areas and a significant effort has been made in recent years under the “Academy” banner. They state “52% of students leave with a 4 (C Grade) or better in both English and Maths” .
Although I couldn’t gain an accurate picture about apprenticeships, 8% seemed to take one ( I think at age 16) with 86% continuing in full-time education. I wasn’t able to glean how many took an apprenticeship at 18. However from an estimated 25 students leaving at 18 for university, only 1 seems to have chosen Engineering, which was an Engineering and Applied Science Foundation programme at Aston, so I looked that up as well. This seems like a good option for someone who perhaps hasn’t been an academic “star” for any number of reasons, or able to pick up a higher or degree apprenticeship, but is interested in engineering and capable of getting a degree within 4 years. This raised the question in my mind about why this type of Student, highly likely to be from a less advantaged background, was subjected to the same tuition fees £9.250 PA as someone going to Oxbridge.
Perhaps those who represent the engineering profession have been too focussed on lauding the latter (deservedly so) rather than nurturing the former? The person from my old school will probably prove to be an excellent engineer and value adding employee of the future, of the kind that we apparently lack in significant numbers and have to import. They are unlikely to have had the apprenticeship opportunities of my generation, coincidentally in my case thanks to the subject of another new thread, Power Generation using Coal (400+ good local jobs, 10+ apprenticeships each year) now zero. If they do find their way into the world of PEIs, I hope that they find a warm welcome rather than snobbery. After all, many of us have travelled a similar path!
