Project title: Building the pipeline of Black talent across UH’s Engineering Courses
Funding awarded: £61,270
Summary:
The project seeks to inspire Black students to choose relevant A-levels, a degree and subsequently a career in engineering through a short series of two-day residential courses at the University of Hertfordshire, taken at the end of Year 10. Follow-up revision workshops will take place over the Easter holidays and mentoring with current Black students will occur and continue remotely to support the students’ journey to university.
What need does the project address?
This project aims to address the current low number of Black students who progress to engineering degrees and beyond, as they do not feel confident to pursue a career in engineering or engage with higher education. Through workshops, mentoring, and more, the University will use a variety of interventions to connect with Black students while providing them wit fundamental skills and promoting their potential ahead of their possible journey into university.
What will the students experience?
Students will take part in a two-day residential course at the University, with hands-on activities and experiences to provide them with exclusive insights into life as an engineer. Talks with industry partners, campus tours and day and evening activities will be provided to share the University of Hertfordshire experience with the students. At the end, members of the cohort will then each be matched with a Black mentor and invited to a revision course in Year 11.
What are the expected outcomes?
Evidence from past residential programmes suggests that 30% of participants progress to higher education, but this figure increases to 50% for those who engage with at least three successive interventions. Follow-up revision workshops during the Easter holidays in the next year and mentoring will be key to embedding the learnings of the immersive week. The School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science will lead follow-up mentoring and revision activities to motivate students, improve their GCSE results and encourage to continue to further study.