Inspiring the next generation of civil engineers
Bridges to Schools
"A fantastic hands on activity that lends itself to a thematic approach to teaching and learning. Students loved the 'kit', the teamwork, and the final result is BIG! First class! Thanks ICE"- David Smith, P7 teacher, Edenderry Primary School, Banbridge
Bridges to Schools is an initative that has been running in Northern Ireland for four years. Since 2007, the bridge and its merry band of civil engineering ambassadors have visited hundreds of schools throughout the region, helping to increase pupils' knowledge of the work of a civil engineer.
From Plumbridge to Portadown, Downpatrick to Dungannon, the Bridges to Schools project has crissed crossed the region.
If you are a teacher who is interested in having Bridges to Schools come to your primary school please download a Bridges to School information brochure or contact the ICE NI regional support team contact details.
Civil Engineering in Primary Schools (CEPS)
CEPS matches P7 classes with young civil engineers to increase understanding of the work of civil engineers and create enthusaism about the science, technology engineering and mathematics disciplines more generally.
The CEPS projects involved schools from both the greater Belfast and North West areas. The CEPS days in 2007 and 2008 culminated in celebration days in the University of Ulster and the South West Regional College.
Projects presented during the celebration days expressed the pupils' perceprion of civil engineering from their time spent with the young civil engineering ambassadors.
CEPS benefitted not only the primary schools involved but the ICE ambassadors who were given the opportunity to both give something back to the industry and gain value continuing professional development in the process.
CEPS did not run in 2009/2010 but if you are a teacher interested in getting involved with a similar projects, or a civil engineering ambassador interested in visiting schools in a similar capacity please get in touch with the ICE NI regional support team.
The Rapid Response Challenge
The Rapid Response Challenge has been running successsfully in the London region for five years, and was piloted in Northern Ireland in March 2010, with Assumption Grammar, Ballynahinch the willing guinea pigs! More recently, the Rapid Response Challenge was hosted in June 2011 by Dromore High School.
The Rapid Response Challenge focuses on the civil engineering impact on disaster relief zones. Recent natural disasters in Haiti and China illustrate the devastating humanitarian impact of the breakdown of infrastructure including sanitation systems, roads and bridges.
The Rapid Response Challenge involves secondary pupils responding to a fictious natural disaster with a hands-on element involving pupils constructing a outdoors temporary shelter and a water course system.
The Response Response Project is suitable for Key Stage 3 school students- if you are a teacher interested in having the Rapid Response Challenge come to your school please get in touch with the ICE NI regional support team.
Engineers' Week
Engineers' Week is an initative that runs as part of an all-island series of engineering related events. Engineers Week events allows primary and secondary school pupils to experience the practical application of engineering across a range of industries and organisations.
Engineers' Week ran in 2010 from 8-13 February 2010. Industries and organisations that held events as past of Engineers' Week included
- NI Water
- Queens University Belfast
- University of Ulster Jordanstown
- George Best Belfast City Airport
- Phoenix Gas
- utv Ulster Television
- Northern Ireland Science Park
- Engineers' Week events saw over 300 pupils take part in a range of events, igniting the spark of enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering and maths subjects and potentially recruiting the next generation of civil engineers.
Becoming a civil engineering ambassador
As well as something that is personally rewarding and makes a societal contribution, becoming an ambassador can contribute towards a civil engineer's continuing professional development.
Ambassadors within Northern Ireland assiting regional activities in a host of different ways including helping with Bridges to Schools, providing expert information on bridges for class projects and speaking to pupils on what a career in civil engineering may bring.
All ICE NI ambassadors must be registered with STEMNET and have completed a Criminal Record Bureau check as part of the process.
For more information on becoming an ambassador please contact Jude Milway at the Regional Office.