Vocational education is education that prepares people for a skilled craft as an artisan, trade as a tradesperson, or work as a technician. Vocational education can also be seen as that type of education given to an individual to prepare that individual to be gainfully employed or self employed with requisite skill. Vocational education is known by a variety of names, depending on the country concerned, including career and technical education, or acronyms such as TVET and TAFE.
The Nuffield Foundation is a charitable trust established in 1943 by William Morris, Lord Nuffield, the founder of Morris Motors Ltd. It aims to improve social well-being by funding research and innovation projects in education and social policy, and building research capacity in science and social science. Its current chief executive is Tim Gardam.
The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) is the United Kingdom's national academy of engineering.
Science Foundation Ireland is the statutory body in Ireland with responsibility for funding oriented basic and applied research in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with a strategic focus. The agency was established in 2003 under the Industrial Development Act 2003 and is run by a board appointed by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. SFI is an agency of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
NAF is an industry-sponsored nonprofit with a national network of public-private partnerships that support career academies within traditional high schools. Each academy focuses on a theme that addresses the anticipated future needs of local industry and the community it serves in five major "college prep plus" fields of study that encourage and facilitate college preparation and technical training on career paths in finance, hospitality and tourism, information technology (IT), engineering, and health sciences. In 2019, the NFL awarded eight social justice organizations, including NAF, with a $2 million grant for "reduc[ing] barriers to opportunity."
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is an umbrella term used to group together the distinct but related technical disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The term is typically used in the context of education policy or curriculum choices in schools. It has implications for workforce development, national security concerns, and immigration policy, with regard to admitting foreign students and tech workers.
The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) is a British engineering institution with activities including materials exploration, extraction, characterisation, processing, forming, finishing, application, product recycling and land reuse. Its stated goal is to promote and develop all aspects of materials science and engineering, geology, mining, mineral and petroleum engineering, and extractive metallurgy.
Science Week refers to series of science-related events for the general public which are held in a specific countries during a designated week of the year. The aim of such science weeks is to engage and inspire people of all ages with science, engineering and technology.
Katherine Bellingham is a British engineer and television presenter known for her role presenting the BBC1 science show Tomorrow's World from 1990–1994. Following a period pursuing other interests and raising children, she resumed her broadcasting career in 2010.
Buttle UK, formerly known as The Frank Buttle Trust, is a UK charity that provides financial grants to children in need. Founded by Frank Buttle in 1937 but not operational until after his death in 1953, the charity has helped many thousands of people throughout the United Kingdom. In 2015–2016, it made 10,068 grants totalling just over £3.9 million.
The Engineering Education Scheme Wales (EESW) is a Registered Charity based in Bridgend which works to encourage young people to consider engineering as a career. The EESW has been operating nationally in Wales since 1989 and now runs several projects at various stages of education as well as its flagship engineering scheme for students aged 16–18.
Women are often under-represented in the academic and professional fields of engineering; however, many women have contributed to the diverse fields of engineering historically and currently. A number of organizations and programs have been created to understand and overcome this tradition of gender disparity. Some have decried this gender gap, saying that it indicates the absence of potential talent. Though the gender gap as a whole is narrowing, there is still a growing gap with minority women compared to their white counterparts. Gender stereotypes, low rates of female engineering students, and engineering culture are factors that contribute to the current situation where men dominate in fields relating to engineering sciences.
NASA Alumni League is a U.S. organization that supports people that have worked for or at NASA or its predecessor NACA, to stay connected, and to "support the nation's space programs with technical expertise, educational outreach, and financial contributions to STEM organizations." The organization operates across the nation, also with state chapters that allow patrons to network locally. Three goals of NAL in the early 21st century were to "communicate with the NASA community", "to aid the NASA community with its comprehension of engineering and science, and "encourage members to participate in community service and in turn, encourage a dedication to the pursuit of scientific knowledge that benefits all humankind. " NAL is not part of NASA or the U.S. government, it is a non-profit organization founded in 1986.
The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair was founded 2009. The Big Bang Fair is the United Kingdom’s largest celebration of STEM for young people, and is one of the largest youth events in the UK. The Fair takes place annually in June.
TeenTech is a not-for-profit Charity and Community Interest Company founded in 2008 by Maggie Philbin and Chris Dodson to help young people understand the real opportunities available in the contemporary STEM workplace and engender some excitement about technology and entrepreneurship.
The STEM pipeline is a critical infrastructure for fostering the development of future scientists, engineers, and problem solvers. It's the educational and career pathway that guides individuals from early childhood through to advanced research and innovation in STEM-related fields.
Abigail Hutty is a British mechanical engineer based in Stevenage. She has worked as the lead structures engineer on the European Space Agency ExoMars rover, now the Rosalind Franklin rover vehicle. In 2016, she was elected as the youngest ever Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. She advocates the science and technology education of young people and promotion of careers in the space industry. Her public appearances have included the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures and The Sky at Night.
Dr Nike Folayan is a Chartered Engineer and a Telecommunications Engineering Consultant. She is co-founder and chair of the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers that campaigns for more ethnic diversity in UK engineering.
Professor John Perkins' Review of Engineering Skills, also known as the Perkins Review, was a 2013 report commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on engineering training and the skills shortage in the United Kingdom. Principally authored by the Chief Scientific Adviser to the BIS, it made key recommendations for improving the training of British engineers and encouraging more entrants into the profession. Key aspects it highlighted included the gender gap, with ten times more men employed in the profession than women, and the current reliance on foreign engineers.
Dr. Hayaatun Sillem is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
