Invent Plus empowers university student to deliver engineering and STEM workshops to young people, improving access to engineering knowledge and pathways. This programme currently runs in Southampton.
What is Invent plus?
If young people are introduced to Engineering and STEM as part of their education they will develop core skills in problem solving and teamwork and consider STEM career paths in the future. Ultimately increasing diversity in Engineering.
The series of five workshops brings engineering into the classroom in an engaging and interactive way with each workshop including a theoretical introduction, an experiment, and a closing reflection. We work with schools with a high proportion of pupils on pupil premium and with English as a second language to identify pupils who will benefit most from the intervention.
The students we work with are trained and supported to deliver meaningful, fun workshops. They are passionate about STEM and Engineering and embed their interest and expertise into every session.
What’s the impact?
Invent Plus aims to increase accessibility in the engineering sector. To meet this aim we ensure every young person who takes part in the programme:
- Develops critical thinking and problem solving skills
- Develops team working skills
- Feels more informed about Engineering as a career path
- Has improved expectations for future life
To achieve this our students are trained to create an environment which is safe, supported, respectful, interesting and challenging. An environment which supports key social and emotional skill development.
In 2021-22
100%
partners agreed the students added expertise to the activity
100%
students agreed young people show increased interest in engineering
100%
students agreed young people show increased confidence in what an Engineer is and does
I enjoyed being part of a scheme that helped to motivate young people and inspire confidence in the children I worked with on a day-to-day basis.
Southampton Hub volunteer