Demi was voted the winner of Millimetre Zone in March 2018. Here she writes about how her £500 prize money helped engage young people from underrepresented backgrounds in engineering, as well as offering interview training and CV feedback.
If you’re an engineer who’d like funding to support your own STEM outreach activities, apply now for I’m an Engineer, Get me out of here at imanengineer.org.uk/engineers
I donated the total amount of prize money to the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK) to raise more awareness of their Making Engineering Hot (MEH) Programme. As an active member of AFBE-UK, I wanted this programme to be very successful. The programme aims at raising the aspirations of young people from underrepresented and less advantaged backgrounds, helping them to consider STEM opportunities within their communities and the wider world.
With its after–school and weekend sessions comprising of innovative visual learning, numeracy and employability projects, the Making Engineering Hot (MEH) programme introduced and engaged school children to the world of engineering over a nine-month period. It was led by project coordinators (all engineers) and volunteers. I also raised awar
With the prize money we were able to buy LEGO robots which the students were taught how to build and programme, and employ an engineering student part time to assist with the administration and logistics. We also provided training and DBS checks for all MEH volunteers and support staff ensuring the children were in a safe environment always.
We were also able to give interview training and constructive feedback on their CVs. Two students were offered paid work placements at a major engineering organisation through this programme.
My I’m an Engineer experience helped me become a bigger ambassador for AFBE-UK and in turn MEH, this helped publicise the project and recruit more volunteers than we would have initially have expected. Also being able to communicate on a level the school children could relate to was definitely a skill I improved upon from my I’m an Engineer experience.
