Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the world's largest 'premium aluminium' producer, revealed that the Engineer the Future project touched over 6,700 high school students during the 2022-2023 academic year. It is an interactive learning activity aimed to engage students in grades 9 to 12 and a chance to participate in an aluminium design contest. More than 400 students competed in the Aluminium Design & Innovation Challenge for a reward of AED15,000.
Engineer the Future is a collaboration between Emirates Schools Establishment and BMW Group. The curriculum is intended to foster a lifelong interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, in keeping with the UAE Centennial 2071 vision, which recognises science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills as a critical component in developing a competitive, diverse, knowledge-based economy in the UAE.
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"Encouraging more young people to study and then pursue careers in STEM-related fields is essential for the achievement of the UAE's Operation 300bn industrial growth strategy. Engineer the Future is one way at EGA that we support our youth in their interest in STEM, to have a lasting impact for nation," said Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium.
About 68 per cent of Engineer, the Future participants in the previous school year were female. Following the sessions, students reported a considerable rise in their interest in studying and later pursuing professions in STEM disciplines. EGA is a large employer of STEM experts, with around 1,500 employees working in these disciplines at EGA, including over 500 UAE nationals. The Engineer the Future initiative was launched this academic year in collaboration with Emirates Schools Establishment and BMW Group.
Her Excellency Hessa Rashid, Acting Executive Director of School Development Sector at Emirates Schools Establishment, said, “The Establishment is keen to strengthen and develop the abilities of the students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, by launching several programmes that qualify them for academic courses that are compatible with their professional ambitions, and meet the requirements of the future labour market. The high turnout of the Engineer the Future programme is the result of cooperation with EGA, and it reflects the interest of students in studying this vital field. ESE is implementing this programme and many others in cooperation with its strategic partners to improve the quality of public education and link its learning outputs to the requirements of higher education.”
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