Shell invests £1m in Tomorrow's Engineers programme

The funding will be awarded over the next three years and will enable the programme to expand into over 500 new schools across the UK. Speaking at the launch of Tomorrow's Engineers Week, Erik Bonino, chairman of Shell UK, said: "When it comes to inspiring the next generation of great British scientists, engineers and innovators, we need to start in schools. Tomorrow's Engineers connects classroom learning to the exciting opportunities that a technical career can offer. Only by engaging young people and their teachers in this way, will we encourage more students to progress in STEM subjects and careers." Bonino also called on the wider engineering community to work together and pool resources to address the STEM skills shortage. He continued: "With the UK looking to grow the innovation economy and boost GDP, government, business and the engineering community are all committed to growing our numbers of scientists and engineers. "There is no shortage of activity underway, but it's not joined up and doesn't make the impact it should. Unless we get smarter in working together, we will miss a vital opportunity to create a rich talent pool for the future. In our industry alone, this is critical if we are to meet the significant energy challenges of the future." Paul Jackson, chief executive of EngineeringUK, added: "Our overarching aim is to ensure that every 11-14 year old has at least one employer-linked engineering experience to help them make the connection between classroom learning and career opportunities. "Shell's support for Tomorrow's Engineers takes us considerably closer to that ambition. Last year, the Tomorrow's Engineers programme directly reached over 50,000 students in 1,200 schools. We hope other engineering companies will follow Shell's lead in supporting tomorrow's engineers."