A new project aimed at teaching young people about maritime engineering has been awarded funding through the Royal Academy of Engineering‘s Ingenious fund.
It’s one of 23 successful projects in the latest round of Ingenious funding, which is aimed at public engagement projects designed to inspire the next generation of engineers. All the projects will engage communities across the UK on a variety of topics, including climate change, sport, cultural heritage, and increasing diversity and inclusion in engineering.
Maritime Engineering of the Future will combine engineers from Artemis Technologies and the Belfast Maritime Consortium with W5’s learning and engagement team to work with young people from schools and youth groups in a series of workshops and hands-on building sessions.
The young maritime recruits will discover the importance of ship-building within the history of Belfast and Northern Ireland, the importance of global shipping today and its environmental impact.
The programme will develop the public engagement skills of participating engineers, showcase engineering within the maritime sector, and provide an exciting and fun series of activities for all participants. This will culminate in the inaugural ‘Ingenious Cardboard Regatta’, with engineering activities and opportunities for families and the public to engage with maritime experts.
The Ingenious programme started in 2007. Funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, it offers grants of up to £30,000 to support creative public engagement with engineering projects while providing engineers with the communication and presentation skills to share their stories, passion, and expertise with the public.