Case studies

St Saviour's and St Olave's School for Girls became an LEP school in April 2007 and since then has been involved in virtually every LEP event organised. With support from the LEP, the school also runs a very successful after school Engineering Club with regular weekly meetings.

Year 9 members of the Engineering Club, Masabie Cassell; Amisha Patel; Jemma O'Sullivan and Holly Mason, have taken part in competitions and challenges run through the LEP. They said, “During our club sessions we have been working through the club activities booklet doing activities like 'Marble Run' and 'Elastic Band Buggies'. We have also built aircrafts for the Airbus Project Eggs Factor challenge. At the moment we are working on our Greenpower car and our club represented London at the national Young Engineers Awards. All the activities we have been able to do with the LEP have definitely made us consider being engineers in the future.”

Little Ilford School, Newham has been involved in the majority of activities offered by the LEP both in school and externally including the Engineering Islam event, the IStructE Challenge, the Trebuchet Challenge STEM days and Year 7 taster days and the LEP residential courses have been incorporated into the school's science teaching programme.

Year 10 student, Masum Hussain, says, “During my time on the residential course, I made new friends and also learnt a great deal. I hope to attend many more in the future!”

Abu Bakar, a Year 10 student who recently attended an electronics STEM day at LSBU says, “The visit to London South Bank University was an adventure. I admired the way the lecturers teach over there, and the way they help the students with their projects. This type of educational visit is very beneficial for young students and for young, aspiring engineers who want to become a successful engineer in the future.”

Find out more about LEP activities in the Resources section.

Head of Design and Technology at Central Foundation Girls' School in Bow ,Colin O'Donnell, has taken Year 9 on LEP STEM days and Year 10 Resistant Materials classes to the LEP residential course at Harper Adams University.

Colin says, “In school, my subject has progressed rapidly. Within the last two years we have begun running two optional classes of Resistant Materials at Key Stage 4 and plan to set up a post-16 option in 2009-2010. The girls have thoroughly enjoyed their LEP involvement which has aided and reinforced the popularity of Resistant Materials and given them an understanding of the role they could play in the future of engineering.”

Find out more about STEM days and LEP residential courses in the Teachers section.

Oliver Goldsmith Primary School, Southwark has been involved with the LEP since its inception two years ago.The school's Science Coordinator, Hedney Gordon,  who runs the after school club for Year 6 pupils says, “I have found running the club really beneficial for honing my own skills as Science Coordinator. We have 36 children coming to the after-school club, and even some of the Year 7s who attended last year's club are coming back to help out. The club has been so -popular that I would like to introduce activities for Years 4 and 5 too.”

Find out more about running a club in your primary school in the Teachers section.

Name: Eddie Aimienwanu
 

Subject: Chemical & Process Engineering BEng
 

What do you intend to do when you finish your degree?
I intend to further my education, hopefully with a Petroleum Engineering Masters degree.

What do you like about your subject?
I like the fact that it is broad and gives me the opportunity to work almost anywhere, from the petroleum industry to the chemical industry which includes pharmaceutical companies, food industries, process industries, cement manufacturing industries and so on: the list is endless.

Why did you become an LEP Ambassador?
I chose to become an LEP Ambassador to get a better view of engineering. Working with the LEP opens doorways to other engineering opportunities. Job prospects better for future engineers with experiences like the LEP as they get to work with other partner organisations such as The Smallpiece Trust and Royal Academy of Engineering. I chose to be an LEP Ambassador also because it enhances my CV.

What do you enjoy about being an LEP Ambassador?
Being an LEP Ambassador gives you the opportunity to interact with other students from various fields of engineering and this promotes and strengthens your networking skills. I also enjoy the support provided to me by my colleagues and organisers and last but not least, we get paid to work.

Name Gemma Proudley

Subject BSc Quantity Surveying

What do you want to do after you finish your degree? I want to get a job working as a Quantity Surveyor whilst studying for a Masters Degree in Environmentalism and Sustainability. I will further my studies in this way so that I can have a positive impact on the construction industry. 

What do you like about your subject? I get to work with a wide range of professions such as engineers from all different areas, architects, construction workers, and I meet the public. I will ultimately be involved in major construction works which are going on in London and even worldwide. Living in London now and seeing it evolve day by day is really inspiring!

Why did you become an LEP Ambassador? I signed up because it will look really good on my CV, it is a great networking opportunity and it's a flexible, well paid, part-time job.

What do you enjoy about being an LEP Ambassador? I've made some great contacts in the industry which will open doors which I wouldn't have even known about before. The events are all really hands-on so it's always fun and interesting and no two days are ever the same. I've also made some really good friends along the way!

I am an engineer working at Arup and along with a fellow graduate we spent the second week in April working with the London Engineering project at their residential course in Winchester.  The course was over four days with 50 Yr 9 students from across South London.  We ran a project over two of the days looking at sustainable housing around the world.  We challenged the students to design and build a model of a sustainable luxury villa in a location of their choice and to then give a presentation to sell the design to a potential buyer.

What really impressed me about the course was the inventiveness of the students.  We deliberately gave them a very open brief to encourage them to be creative and we weren’t disappointed.  The house designs ranged from a log cabin in the Rockies through to a glass pyramid in the jungle.

One of the highlights of the course for me was the formal dinner and disco on the final night, where we got to see the kids all dressed up and to hear some of their thoughts about the course. 

I think the real advantage of the course is it gives the students a chance to talk to us, and to find out what it is like to be an engineer and what our job involves on a day to day basis.

One of the reasons I was keen to help out on this course is because I attended courses with the Smallpeice Trust when I was a student, and they are one of the reasons I chose engineering as a career.  I took a very traditional route into engineering, studying the appropriate A levels and then going on to an engineering degree at Bristol University.  Following university I have been working for Arup who are best know for building iconic buildings around the world including the Gherkin and the Beijing Olympic stadium.  My particular job involves modelling fluid and thermodynamics using computers to help to design buildings better.  This includes improving building design so they use less energy to heat and cool, and modelling how the wind moves around buildings.

Name: Eric Saduwe Barcatali

Subject: Mechanical Engineering

What do you want to do after you finish your degree?

I hope to work as a Mechanical Engineer and then go on to do my MA after a couple of years.

What do you love about your subject?

It is really challenging and it can lead to a fantastic career.

Why did you become an LEP Ambassador?

I became an LEP Ambassador because I wanted to share my passion for engineering with young people.

What do you enjoy about being an LEP Ambassador?

I enjoy seeing young people sharing my passion; it makes me feel like I’m doing something worthwhile in my spare time.

Why did you choose your course?

I was looking for something that would be challenging and fun. I’m also very good at mathematics and problem solving. Mechanical engineering combines these skills.

Why did you choose this route into Engineering (as opposed to apprenticeships etc.)?

I decided to study for a degree in engineering as I am interested in the theory side. My course includes a unit of engineering in context. This is great as it will help me in my future career.

Name: Abioye Oyenuga

Subject: Architectural Technology
 

What do you intend to do when you finish your degree?
After I finish my degree I intend to be part of the sustainable development team on the Olympic 2012 project, providing excellent solutions to sustainable architecture challenges and eco-friendly materials for both residential and commercial buildings.

What do you like about your subject?
I love the creativity involved in designing buildings.

Why did you become an LEP Ambassador?
I became an LEP Student Ambassador because I enjoy engineering, technology and creativity in producing components of any kind. I also enjoy working with young people and encouraging them into engineering.

Why did you choose your course?
I enjoy sketching and drawing and chose to study Architectural Technology at LSBU because it will enable me to work in any design and new development scheme anywhere in the world.

Why did you choose this route into engineering (as opposed
to apprenticeships etc.)?
I decided to choose this route into the technology side of architecture because it focuses mainly on the role of engineering in the technical performance of building design. At degree level in university, I  have great opportunities in both theory and practical lessons compared to an apprenticeship.

Name: Kamlah Kew

Job Title: Principal Traffic Control Engineer

Employer: Transport for London (TfL)  - www.tfl.gov.uk

Industry/business sector: Traffic and Transport

Highest qualification: MSc Physics