Engineers should embrace the arts, Sir John O'Reilly, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, argued in a lecture.
Engineers
should
embrace
the
arts
,
Sir
John
O'Reilly
,
a
fellow
of
the
Institution
of
Engineering
and
Technology
,
argued
in
a
lecture
.
About 59% of engineering companies in the IET's 2014 survey feared skill shortages could threaten business.
About
59
%
of
engineering
companies
in
the
IET
's
2014
survey
feared
skill
shortages
could
threaten
business
.
"There is nothing as creative as engineering," Sir John told the reporter.
``
There
is
nothing
as
creative
as
engineering
,
''
Sir
John
told
the
reporter
.
He says science, technology, engineering and mathematics - often known as "Stem" subjects, are vital for a modern knowledge economy.
He
says
science
,
technology
,
engineering
and
mathematics
-
often
known
as
``
Stem
''
subjects
,
are
vital
for
a
modern
knowledge
economy
.
But there is a massive shortfall in the number of recruits - with a recent study by the Royal Academy of Engineering saying the UK needs to increase by as much as 50% the number of Stem graduates it produces.
But
there
is
a
massive
shortfall
in
the
number
of
recruits
-
with
a
recent
study
by
the
Royal
Academy
of
Engineering
saying
the
UK
needs
to
increase
by
as
much
as
50
%
the
number
of
Stem
graduates
it
produces
.
Delivering this year's Mountbatten Lecture at the Royal Institution, Sir John argued that engineers should recognise the role of the arts in their work - among other benefits; this could attract more people into the profession.
Delivering
this
year
's
Mountbatten
Lecture
at
the
Royal
Institution
,
Sir
John
argued
that
engineers
should
recognise
the
role
of
the
arts
in
their
work
-
among
other
benefits
;
this
could
attract
more
people
into
the
profession
.
The lecture, Full Steam Ahead for Growth, advocated a wider adoption--Steam, or science, technology, engineering, arts and maths.
The
lecture
,
Full
Steam
Ahead
for
Growth
,
advocated
a
wider
adoption
--
Steam
,
or
science
,
technology
,
engineering
,
arts
and
maths
.
Engineers should embrace the arts as being key to creativity and an important component of innovation, crucial to creating new products and boosting future competitiveness, he argued.
Engineers
should
embrace
the
arts
as
being
key
to
creativity
and
an
important
component
of
innovation
,
crucial
to
creating
new
products
and
boosting
future
competitiveness
,
he
argued
.
"Engineering and technology is an increasingly diverse and creative field," said Sir John.
``
Engineering
and
technology
is
an
increasingly
diverse
and
creative
field
,
''
said
Sir
John
.
Some university engineering departments already cooperated with art schools to develop understanding, he told the reporter.
Some
university
engineering
departments
already
cooperated
with
art
schools
to
develop
understanding
,
he
told
the
reporter
.
In particular he mentioned Cranfield University's Centre for Creative Competitive Design and Imperial College's work with the Royal College of Art.
In
particular
he
mentioned
Cranfield
University
's
Centre
for
Creative
Competitive
Design
and
Imperial
College
's
work
with
the
Royal
College
of
Art
.
The two sets of people could work well together and more emphasis on the creative side of engineering could improve the success of products, he said.
The
two
sets
of
people
could
work
well
together
and
more
emphasis
on
the
creative
side
of
engineering
could
improve
the
success
of
products
,
he
said
.
"Aesthetics is part of it," he told the reporter, adding that Apple's iPod was not the first digital media player, nor the only one that worked - but it came to dominate the market "because it was nice to have".
``
Aesthetics
is
part
of
it
,
''
he
told
the
reporter
,
adding
that
Apple
's
iPod
was
not
the
first
digital
media
player
,
nor
the
only
one
that
worked
-
but
it
came
to
dominate
the
market
``
because
it
was
nice
to
have
''
.
Sir John said he was not suggesting universities started requiring A-level art from engineering applicants - the key subjects for admission would continue to be maths and the sciences.
Sir
John
said
he
was
not
suggesting
universities
started
requiring
A-level
art
from
engineering
applicants
-
the
key
subjects
for
admission
would
continue
to
be
maths
and
the
sciences
.
But an emphasis on creative skills would help "broaden the pool and attract more people in".
But
an
emphasis
on
creative
skills
would
help
``
broaden
the
pool
and
attract
more
people
in
''
.
Engineers should embrace the arts, Sir John O'Reilly, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, argued in a lecture.  About 59% of engineering companies in the IET's 2014 survey feared skill shortages could threaten business.  "There is nothing as creative as engineering," Sir John told the reporter. He says science, technology, engineering and mathematics - often known as "Stem" subjects, are vital for a modern knowledge economy. But there is a massive shortfall in the number of recruits - with a recent study by the Royal Academy of Engineering saying the UK needs to increase by as much as 50% the number of Stem graduates it produces.  Delivering this year's Mountbatten Lecture at the Royal Institution, Sir John argued that engineers should recognise the role of the arts in their work - among other benefits; this could attract more people into the profession. The lecture, Full Steam Ahead for Growth, advocated a wider adoption--Steam, or science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. Engineers should embrace the arts as being key to creativity and an important component of innovation, crucial to creating new products and boosting future competitiveness, he argued. "Engineering and technology is an increasingly diverse and creative field," said Sir John.  Some university engineering departments already cooperated with art schools to develop understanding, he told the reporter. In particular he mentioned Cranfield University's Centre for Creative Competitive Design and Imperial College's work with the Royal College of Art. The two sets of people could work well together and more emphasis on the creative side of engineering could improve the success of products, he said.  "Aesthetics is part of it," he told the reporter, adding that Apple's iPod was not the first digital media player, nor the only one that worked - but it came to dominate the market "because it was nice to have".  Sir John said he was not suggesting universities started requiring A-level art from engineering applicants - the key subjects for admission would continue to be maths and the sciences. But an emphasis on creative skills would help "broaden the pool and attract more people in".