Gatsby Benchmarks
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Supporting fair access
to work experience
To supplement traditional placements, TfL helps simulate
work experience within schools with its Innovate Schools Challenge.
‘
Dirty, difficult and male-
dominated’: for many
young people, perceptions
of engineering revolve
around men in hard hats doing manual
labour for poor pay.
In reality, today’s engineers are
creative problem solvers from diverse
industries, helping to shape society
using the latest science tools
and technology. Starting salaries for UK
engineering graduates are well above
the all-subject average, while a higher
proportion of first-degree engineering
and technology graduates are in full-
time employment six months after
graduation than of graduates overall.
“Engineering is misunderstood,”
agrees James Lloyd, resourcing
manager school skills at Transport for
London (TfL). “There are many
organisations like ours trying to show
the lots of strands to engineering
careers. Some of our future engineers
will be digital, sitting behind a desk
using virtual reality to construct virtual
buildings and systems.”
Access to work experience
Even for a high-profile organisation
such as TfL, with a mission to “keep
London moving, working and growing”,
the UK’s chronic failure to encourage
enough young people into STEM
careers is taking its toll. Only proactivity
will ensure a steady flow of talent
into its workforce – and the wider
transport sector.
Vocational and graduate routes into
work have long been given equal value
and emphasis at TfL, which offers 25
apprenticeship schemes across the
business. “Within our senior leadership
team, you’ll see individuals who
originally came in via apprentice
schemes and graduate routes,”
attests Lloyd.
Meanwhile, three aims underpin
TfL’s work with schools around
employability: addressing skills scarcity
(in STEM, engineering and transport);
widening par ticipation among
under-represented groups, and
supporting social mobility.
Initiatives include a STEM programme
delivered at the London Transport
Museum; insight sessions at TfL for
teachers and students; and the Innovate
TfL Schools Challenge in association with
Cleshar, an annual competition for
students in Years 12 and 13 to win work
experience at TfL (plus laptops for their
school). While open to all schools,
colleges and youth groups, London girls’
schools and schools located in areas of
deprivation are specifically targeted.
RESOURCES
Find out more about TfL’s Innovate Schools
challenge at: tfl.gov.uk/innovate
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