May 2020

News 0 8 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk May 2020 The Royal Academy of Engineering has launched a new Engineers in the Making competition for school children aged 7 to 14, across the UK. The Academy is looking for budding engineers to take on challenges and show off their creativity, imagination and problem- solving skills. The Academy’s education team have chosen their most practical, hands-on activities to encourage students to try tinkering, investigating and problem finding and solving, reflecting real-life engineering challenges. All activities use things you can find in your home and have simple instructions. A new challenge will be set every two weeks and students will be asked to send in photos or a short video along with one or two sentences to explain what they did. The best entries can choose from a selection of prizes including a power and play K.Nex set or a robot to build and programme. Parents, carers and teachers are invited to send in competition entries on behalf of the students to education@raeng.org.uk or share them on Twitter by tagging @EduRAEng and using the hashtag #EngineersInTheMaking. For further information please visit: https://www.raeng.org.uk/education/stem-at-home/competition- engineers-in-the-making In addition to the competition, the Academy has compiled all its Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) challenges in one place for use by teachers working remotely with their students or by parents home-schooling their children. The challenges vary from making plastic and exploding volcanoes to STEM projects that invite young learners to problem find, problem solve and get creative using materials they have at home. Typical items required include a torch, scissors, glue, cornflour, paper and cardboard. Videos on YouTube guide parents, teachers and students through the challenges and offer support and suggestions for some of the activities. The challenges are aimed at upper primary and lower secondary but can be easily adapted and used with older and younger children. Academy sets engineering challenges children can do at home More than 70% of PWE readers are currently working from home, with almost half of them reporting that they feel they can be 100% productive working this way, according to an online survey conducted by the magazine. Those responding to the survey span a range of jobs including maintenance engineers. Of those surveyed, 24% report that they are being 90% productive working from home, 16% describe themselves as being 75% productive, with just a few struggling to operate effectively from home. The survey reveals that 70% of respondents are using virtual conferencing to keep in touch with colleagues and customers, using platforms such as Cloud, Slack, WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, Skype and FaceTime. Zoom was not 70% of PWE readers are working from home mentioned, despite it being one of the most popular platforms for social interaction. Perhaps this reflects publicised security concerns, although it seems these can be overcome. The survey was initially sent via social media channels and an e-newsletter, with nearly 100 readers responding in the first 48 hours. The survey is still open and PWE plans to conduct further surveys over the coming weeks and months. We are planning to cross-reference replies against one another to build a full picture of how people are coping with their new working environment. When asked about the importance of continuing to receive regular industry information while working from home, 94% said this was “extremely” or “very” important. Readers can request that their copies of the magazine are redirected to their homes. Director of sales for PWE, Damien Oxlee, commented that the at survey gives the “important and positive message that the majority of our readers are working from home to help fight the spread of the virus. Those that are unable to do so will likely be in a manufacturing / factory setting. “It is clear that it is very important for our readers and potential customers of our advertisers to stay up-to-date with their industry,” Oxlee added: “People are starting to adapt and conduct meetings via a variety of digital platforms. We can help suppliers to connect to end-users, and invite them to Webinars or product demonstrations.” Scheduled for Thursday 26th November 2020, the fourth AEMT Gala Awards Dinner will once again bring together the entire electrical and mechanical trades sector in a celebration of business and professional excellence. The Awards recognise and reward the achievements of both individuals and companies operating within the electrical & mechanical maintenance and repair sector. Personal endeavour, product innovation, skills training, engineering advancement and commercial acumen will once again be acknowledged and celebrated. Operated by the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT), the Awards will acknowledge the skill, effort and sheer dedication of the people and businesses serving this important sector of industry. With sponsorship provided by a host of leading industry names, which to date has included ABB, Avonmore Electrical, Axflow, EMIR Software, Fanuc UK, Fletcher Moorland, Menzel, Musk Process Services, Sulzer, TEC Motors and WEG UK along with media support from the two dedicated publications for this sector - Plant & Works Engineering and Drives & Controls. Entries are being sought for any company, product, application or individual involved in the supply, installation, service, maintenance and repair of industrial machinery technology such as electric motors, drives, pumps, fans, gearboxes, generators, transformers, switchgear and ancillary equipment. Individuals can put forward entries for themselves and their own company, or they can nominate others they know. The online entry process is easy by visiting the AEMT Awards website at: www.aemtawards.com The closing date for all entries is 5.00pm on Friday 9th October. AEMT Awards scheduled for November