Helping young people

[DanielParticipant @daniel]

Posted by Andrew Evans on 12/03/2018 15:48:51:
Bob
Schools haven't done anything engineering (as in machining etc) related for decades – certainly not when I was at school in the 80s.
However, stuff like robotics, software, 3D printing, laser cutting is popular with some younger people. And those are the skills that the engineers of today and tommorow need. If you go to a robotics event rather than a model engineering show you would see plenty of younger people. A younger person would be far more excited about building a drone than a model loco – and that is normal.
Andy

That's a very pertinent point you make Andy.

Maybe we're a dying breed

Similar to wheelwrights and bodgers

[Geoff TheasbyParticipant @geofftheasby]

I don't think so. Andy has a good point, but in our case the recruits are more likely to be drawn from the recently retired.

Geoff

[Bob McParticipant @bobmc91481]

Thanks Andy, Daniel..

my opinion is that although there is very much a place for new technology in schools and as you point out this is what engineers would need in a technological environment but I can't help thinking it is all a bit one sided.

Is education all about fitting a person in place for a certain type of employment environment, should it not rather be a case of letting youngsters have a go at traditional skills as well where he or she would get a feel for the material and tools in their hands…hand and eye coordination.?

It might be that some youngsters would get excited about doing practical things but who knows if they don't get a chance..? I know I was…. I'm in agreement with you about asking a youngster to build a model loco..to be honest it is something I would struggle at myself along with many others, but there are lots of other things to be made.

I can only say that thank God I was educated in the 1960's, although my occupation for many years has been an electronics/communications engineer, at school we were introduced to pottery, woodwork, metalwork, even gardening and this has stood me in good stead when it came to doing things around the home and sometimes in the workplace.

I will say that these days we have a throw away society, for one thing the goods bought today seem to have built in redundancy and are engineered in order so no repair can be undertaken, but not all things are like this.

I was amazed when a very well educated chap moved in next door, a product of these new ideas of education, he wondered if I could put a mirror up for him on the wall..! one nail later it was done… then he had an ill fitting door which needed a little work with a plane..in 10 minutes job done…could I come round a fit a garden gate…? he had read the instructions and didn't want to bother me again, but couldn't fathom out why his drill bits wouldn't penetrate the bricks… to be honest it was if he had come from another planet!

Well I don't think my ramblings will alter things, to be honest I just think the real reason for not teaching traditional skills in schools is that it is much more cost effective to keep a healthy distance from them.

…Bob…

[Anonymous]

Posted by Bob Mc on 12/03/2018 18:11:32:

I was amazed when a very well educated chap moved in next door, a product of these new ideas of education, he wondered if I could put a mirror up for him on the wall..! one nail later it was done… then he had an ill fitting door which needed a little work with a plane..in 10 minutes job done…could I come round a fit a garden gate…? he had read the instructions and didn't want to bother me again, but couldn't fathom out why his drill bits wouldn't penetrate the bricks… to be honest it was if he had come from another planet!

Oh I don't know, seems pretty bright to me; after all he got someone else to do all his jobs for free.

Andrew

[Andrew EvansParticipant @andrewevans67134]

Things change. Young people do different things today, some better some not as good.

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Peter Hall, " Those were the days my friend " !!! When I was doing metalwork,we were required to show our skills in forging by making,wait for it—–Pike Heads ! [as used in 1798] I,m not kidding.

Our teacher was a very practical.man but I suppose if he was around today,he would be arrested and locked up.

His advice was to make sure we got at least one burn,so as to be more careful next time. It worked.

In the last place I worked,a large engineering works,H&S was so far down the list that it did not exist,so we just got on with it.

To Ady 1, Yes,you are right,over here the Nanny State is still in the early stages [but growing ] We do tend to just get on with the job,but Big Brother is watching. When it comes to passing on whatever skills we have,one needs to be very careful. I,for one,never allow any children into my workshop,with or without their parents. The urge to touch or turn something is just too great and the result can be just too bad. Then YOU are to blame. Yes,I would like to pass on what little I know, —but ! That is how I learned,by getting cuts and knocks,and burns,but I,m still around and know what to watch for.

So while I think this is a great idea [wish it was around in my time ] it needs to be carefully thought through.

Good luck with it and let us know how it goes,

Regards,

Larry.

[Dod MoleParticipant @georgeclarihew]

My place of work is in the Techy Dept of a skool where we still do woodworking, techie drawing is now all compooterised but we do have a laser cutter, 3D printer and am in the process of setting up our new toy – a CNC router. The hooligans (schoolchildren) have won quite a few STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics ) challenges and competitions with stuff they have designed and built culminating with 12 of the dears taking their underwater ROV to Long Beach for the world championships, so all is not yet lost.

CRB checks are all out of control with do-gooders using the blanket ban approach for anything, one chap worked with me had 7 different organisations he assisted with doing their own checks as each wants their own check done,

I dont know how I stand as I am now in a vulnerable group (senile ) so does that mean all 400 of the little darlings need checked to see they don't harm me, must ask the Heady tomorrow and see if he knows the policy on that one

[FMESParticipant @fmes]

A current UK advert for washing detergent capsules states 'Always keep away from children'

I see no reason to disagree

Regards

Lofty

[DanielParticipant @daniel]

Posted by Geoff Theasby on 12/03/2018 17:31:13:

I don't think so. Andy has a good point, but in our case the recruits are more likely to be drawn from the recently retired.

Geoff

And why is that ?

Perhaps it's a hobby that one grows into with the years.

It requires a lot of spare time and is relatively expensive.

The only real result being of personal satisfaction, in the creation

of something.

I think there are young people who are genuinely interested, just

not as many as there once was. Other interests have also

appeared on the scene, which simply didn't exist before.

[DanielParticipant @daniel]

Posted by FMES on 12/03/2018 21:41:08:

A current UK advert for washing detergent capsules states 'Always keep away from children'

I see no reason to disagree

Regards

Lofty

For once, a piece of sound advice.

Only joking . . . I love children.

Couldn't eat a whole one, though.

[Author]

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