Future engineers Think Ahead

We’ve been delighted to hold our second Thinking Ahead engineering taster programme, inviting students aged 16 and over to take part in an online design engineering challenge.

This year we were joined by 51 students from across the globe, for a two-week project which introduced them to the world of engineering and its interdisciplinary relationship with topics including user-centred design, sustainability, innovation and psychology.

With supporting online learning materials, students were set a design engineering challenge that they could work on independently or as a group. This year’s challenge asked them to design a prototype of a community structure in Canada Water, London, which by using light and colour as its primary aesthetic, encourages visitors and caters for people with a range of health and wellbeing issues.

Vansh, one of the students taking part, found the creative freedom an enjoyable aspect of the programme:

“I enjoyed the independence TEDI-London gives us to think of our own ideas and create our own structures and projects. I also liked the friendly staff at TEDI-London who helped us every step of the way and answered any questions we had.”

Another student, Parva, added: “Thinking Ahead has introduced me to many new concepts which I have never really explored before.”

At TEDI-London we are we are passionate about opening up the possibilities of engineering to as many people as possible. Thinking Ahead is just one of the ways we can enable people to get a taste of what it’s like to be an engineer and hopefully inspire them to take it forward as a career.

On completion of the programme, students will submit their prototypes and those shortlisted will present their idea to a panel of judges to review. The panel includes Rebecca Cadwallander, a Structural Engineer from the Waterman Group, and Nicola Rutt, who has recently left her role at award winning architectural practice Hawkins/Brown to set up a new practice, as well as Mike Sutcliffe, Deputy Dean at TEDI-London.

Students who present are eligible to win one of three industry coaching sessions to help support them at the outset of their engineering journey.

Keep an eye out for the winners who will be announced next week!