• Question: Why do you think engineering is important - and do you think we should encourage more young children to learn about it?

    Asked by wiltmemetal to Alex, Chris, Harriet, Jed, Ken on 15 Mar 2012. This question was also asked by katie.
    • Photo: Ken Gibbs

      Ken Gibbs answered on 15 Mar 2012:


      Engineering is the discipline which provides “things” (both soft and hard) that make life less difficult than it might otherwise be. So, it stands to reason that we should be encouraging our childrenn seriously to consider a career in engineering. It isn’t all things to all men/women, but it covers a lot of the bases. Besides, to keep our economy functioning productively, we need a continuing supply of engineers to replace those that fall off the perch.

      And no, I am not about to drop off my perch yet !

    • Photo: Alexander Zacheshigriva

      Alexander Zacheshigriva answered on 18 Mar 2012:


      Engineering is incredibly important to make clever things. It is also a rewarding and interesting process (well parts of it are). So for the economy to go on at all levels (local, regional, national, global) we need to have engineers and we need good ones. So for the good of the society we need children to think about doing it. We also need to inform children about it as it may be the best job for them and it would help them in their lives to find out about it earlier.

    • Photo: Jed Ramsay

      Jed Ramsay answered on 18 Mar 2012:


      As well as being important engineering is also really interesting and can be a lot of fun!

      Think of some of the engineering challenges that need solving… one of my favourites is the Forth Bridge in Scotland (try googling for a pic). It is held up by huge cables that have thousands of strands to them and are encased in several layers of water proofing to preserve them. Yet somehow water has got in and the cables have started to break. The challenge now is can we repair them or do we have to build a new bridge? Either answer will involve some great engineering!

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