ICE and Girlguiding partnership goes UK‑wide to reach ‘engineers of the future’

Girls across the UK have gained the opportunity to earn a civil engineering badge as the ICE and youth charity, Girlguiding, announce that their partnership is now available nationwide.

Awarding 15,000 of the badges to date, the initiative was developed to “create a safe space where girls feel confident to experiment, build and discover the many possibilities that engineering has to offer”, as Kirstie Pogson, Girlguiding Midlands chief commissioner, has said.

Originally piloted in Northern Ireland, Wales, London and south-east England in 2023, the partnership has continued to expand and has now reached UK-wide status as Anglia (east of England), the Midlands and south-west England join the programme.

To earn the badge, guides (aged 10-14) and rangers (aged 14-18) must complete at least two interactive activities that bring civil engineering to life.

Ranked 4.5/5 stars by Girlguiding leaders and participants, these activities include:

• designing and testing chocolate bar bridges;
• constructing a tower on jelly to learn about ground conditions; and
• responding to a simulated emergency by creating water systems and shelters for vulnerable communities.

Commenting on the badge, Pogson said: “Through the challenge girls will have the opportunity to think critically, tackle real-world problems and engage with engineering concepts in an accessible way – we want them to see themselves as engineers of the future.”

Joanna Horton, chief membership officer at the ICE, added: “Reaching full UK coverage is a significant milestone for this partnership. The more young people who see that civil engineering is creative, collaborative, and open to everyone, the stronger and more inclusive our profession becomes.”

Addressing gender inequality in STEM

By extending the partnership, the ICE and Girlguiding seek to address the gender disparity in STEM fields across the UK.

Research from Engineering UK found that though girls made up half of all maths and physics GCSE students, afterwards the figure drops to:

• 37% at A-level maths
• 24% at A-level physics
• 20% on engineering and technology apprenticeships
• 12% on engineering and technology T-levels

The latest feedback on the ICE and Girlguiding partnership shows that interest in a career in civil engineering rises significantly after taking part in the activities.

On average, 17% of participants expressed interest beforehand, increasing to 83% after completing the activities.

Karen Johnson, Girlguiding Anglia's chief commissioner, said: "We know how important STEM is to our members, so we are really excited to be able to work alongside the ICE to provide this wonderful opportunity.

“We want to empower and inspire our members to lead the way and prove that girls really can do anything."

Access to role models

The partnership also connects guides and rangers with mentors who are studying and working in the field.

Girlguiding leaders can run the activities themselves but also connect with ICE volunteers who are practising civil and infrastructure engineers.

Ellie Thomas, an engineer at AtkinsRéalis and Girlguiding Wales Cymru volunteer, said: “I believe the partnership between the ICE and Girlguiding is such a powerful way to give young girls visible role models and to encourage more females into the profession.

“Volunteering has been incredibly rewarding, seeing girls gain confidence, curiosity, and a genuine interest in civil engineering.”

The ICE will also support the inaugural Girlguiding Cityscapes Adventure, which will see nearly 12,000 young people explore five UK cities: Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Portsmouth and York.

Participants will complete challenges based on five themes as they explore: sports, crafts, science, strong women and fun.

Get involved

To get involved in this new partnership, ICE STEM ambassadors based in one of the three new regions should contact their local ICE team.

• ICE Midlands: [email protected]
• ICE South West: [email protected]
• ICE East of England (Anglia): [email protected]

The regions from the original launch will still need mentors. Get in touch with your nearest ICE team to get involved.

• ICE Northern Ireland: [email protected]
• ICE Wales Cymru: [email protected]
• ICE London: [email protected]
• ICE South East England: [email protected]
• ICE Scotland: [email protected]
• ICE North East: [email protected]
• ICE Yorkshire and Humber: [email protected]
• ICE North West England: [email protected]