It’s been almost 50 years since the scientist and novelist CP Snow gave his famous ‘Two Cultures’ lecture, when he spoke about the widening and unbridgeable gulf between the arts and science establishment in the UK. With the government’s announcement that all schoolchildren in
Englandare to get five hours a week of access to ‘quality culture’, anyone concerned with technology could be forgiven for wondering whether anyone has noticed they exist.
That’s not to do down the importance of culture, of course. Who could doubt that kids will benefit from trips to the theatre and galleries, music lessons and visits from musicians and novelists? All absolutely invaluable in helping to develop well-rounded individuals, although cynics might wonder, first, whether all those aren’t already provided in the National Curriculum; and second, where notoriously hard-pressed teachers are going to conjure those extra five hours from.
But that’s beside the point. While the Department of Culture, Media and Sport is determinedly shoe-horning its agenda into schools — and quite right too, that’s what it’s there for — we can’t help noticing here that generation after generation of schoolkids still have no idea what engineering is about and what engineers do, even after seven years of secondary education.
Isn’t it about time that somebody tackled this? While science education has been shaken up more often than the champagne at a Grand Prix, there still seems to be no effort to show children how creativity and science can combine to affect the real world. How can it be right that most 16-year-olds think that an engineer is someone who fixes the washing machine? How can we expect students half-way through their (pure science) A-levels to apply for engineering courses, to supply that next generation of engineers which we’re all told is still vital to the UK’s future competitiveness, if nobody’s told them what engineering is?
So if you’re going to be inviting experts into schools and taking the students out to see places of interest, let’s put engineers onto the list. Take them to the Diamond Synchrotron and JET, the Thames Barrier and the ForthBridge. Tell them about how they were made and why they’re important. And while we’re worrying about national identity and culture, let’s not forget that architecture, infrastructure and the achievements of technologists and engineers are just as much a part of ‘quality culture’ as William Shakespeare and Benjamin Britten.
Stuart Nathan
Special Projects Editor
So would it be right?
Would it really be right to encourage school children to consider careers in engineering when employers appear to hold engineers in such low regard? This I pondered as I walked across the car park towards the office this morning. The Training Manager had just driven by in his gleaming Audi, parked and gone indoors to his bright, airy office. The Benefits Manager was then closing her shiny, black Mercedes, to go to her light and comfortable office. At that moment the Finance Manager parked his 5 series BMW and hurried in, to his large, spacious office. As I entered the front door, the Customer Services Manager went by to her smart, well-appointed office, her company car parked outside; a top of the range Golf. As I went up the stairs, I happened to glance out of the window as the Supply Chain Manager drove into the car park in his Audi, followed by the Sales Manager in his BMW M3. As I went into the Engineering Office, I could see the Marketing Manager just going into her light and pleasant office, her sleek, silver Lexus parked outside. Then as I reached my desk I saw the Engineering Manager in his corner, his desk piled high with boxes, folders, files and samples, already on the phone. Not for him the shining executive saloon. No, instead a six-year-old Vauxhall. Not for him the plush office with pale wood furniture and leather swivel-chair. No, instead a corner under a strip-light, with the rest of the highly-qualified, over-used engineers.
So would it really be right to promote engineering as a career, where even if you reach the position of manager, the reward for your status is not your own office, but a corner, not a shiny, new, company car, but HP from the bank. When you have so much work that you arrive before everyone else, and go home when everyone else is already at home.
Would it not be right to actually tell school children the truth? It may not encourage them to pursue a career in engineering, but at least your conscience would be clear.
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