Young Engineers Celebrates 100% Coverage in all Isle of Man Primary Schools

Young Engineers, a pioneering programme dedicated to fostering a love of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects among children, has reached a significant milestone. This year, the programme has successfully completed its mission to provide lessons to Year 6 students in all 33 primary schools in the Isle of Man. Led by Adrian (The Mechatronics Engineer) and Noelise (The Montessori Teacher), Young Engineers Isle of Man brings STEM concepts to children in a fun, constructive way. We recently spoke to Adrian Walters, Director of Young Engineers in the Isle of Man, to find out more.

The Programme's Impact

The Young Engineers programme offers engaging, hands-on activities designed to stimulate children's interest in STEM from an early age. Adrian highlighted the importance of introducing these concepts early: “If you can stimulate the love of something as early as possible, it creates a lifelong passion for learning. Our goal is to ignite that spark in primary school, so by the time students reach GCSEs, they have already developed a love for subjects like engineering.”

The programme's success has not gone unnoticed by schools. According to Adrian, “The feedback from schools has been overwhelmingly positive. One teacher, who has been in education for 35 years, told me he had never seen such engagement across every student in all his years of teaching.” In the post programme feedback survey, Young Engineers received a 100% ‘Very satisfied’ score of the STEM sessions provided and everyone recommended the lessons to other primary schools or educational institutions.

Industry and Government Supported Initiative

Adrian, reflecting on this achievement, remarked, “It really is an achievement to say we have managed to get dedicated STEM education, fully funded by Awareness of Careers in Engineering (ACE), into all of our primary schools. This landmark was made possible not only by financial support but also by the collective vision of everyone involved.”

The ACE programme aims to raise awareness within schools and the college of the highly valued career opportunities that exist in the Isle of Man’s Engineering & Manufacturing sector. ACE is supported by Business Isle of Man and the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce’s STEM forum comprised of companies from the Island’s Engineering & Manufacturing sector, including Manx Utilities, Strix Group, Swagelok, RLC Group, Triumph, Target Tools, Kiartys, and Suez. Adrian emphasised the importance of this collaboration, stating, “Without the support from ACE, none of this would have happened. Schools often have to make tough choices with limited budgets, but this initiative has ensured that every child has the opportunity to engage with STEM learning.”

Looking to the Future

The achievement of a 100% record in primary schools is just the beginning. As Adrian and Noelise look to the future, they plan to expand and enhance the programme in the Isle of Man. “We have suggested expanding additional programmes to secondary schools, with our ultimate goal being to create a lasting impact on the Isle of Man’s future workforce. We believe that by giving children the love of learning through STEM, we are setting them up for success in any career they choose,” Adrian said.

This remarkable accomplishment is made possible through public private partnership and is a testament to the power of collaboration in shaping the future of education on the Island.

STEMFest 2024

Young Engineers is one of many STEM initiatives that are backed by the Government and industry to foster interest and awareness of STEM careers in the Isle of Man. STEMfest 2024, now in its fourth year, is happening on 23-24 October 2024 at the Villa Marina. By supporting initiatives like STEMFest, businesses can play a pivotal role in inspiring the next generation of engineers, scientists, and tech innovators. If you would like to sponsor, exhibit or learn more, please reach out to us at stemfest@gov.im.