Engineering Intro & Work Insight Week

Thinking about engineering? Not sure where to start?Join our expert-led summer workshop designed to give you clarity, confidence, and a competitive edge.

If you’re thinking about a future in engineering, this five-day experience will give you everything you need to make confident choices. Whether you’re considering university or an apprenticeship, this workshop offers a comprehensive look at your options and gives you real-world experience that stands out on applications.

📆 Dates & Times

Dates: 4th August 2025 until 8th August 2025Time: 3.00 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. UK timeLocation: Live on Zoom

What’s Included:✅ Expert-led sessions with Q&A✅ A real startup engineering project to work on throughout the week✅ Individual feedback from professionals✅ Insights into different pathways, entrance exams, and careers

🔧 Real Startup Engineering Project: Urban Air Mobility

In this hands-on project, students will step into the shoes of consultants working for a sustainable, low-cost helicopter startup aiming to transform air ambulance, taxi, and defence transport.

They’ll explore how modular floating heliports could be deployed along the River Thames to support the future of urban air mobility in London. Using a real business case, students will analyse existing heliport infrastructure, identify gaps, estimate demand for short-distance travel, and propose a strategy for market expansion.

Through guided sessions from Headstart, who have delivered this challenge at top universities like UCL, Warwick, and LSE, students will gain real-world insight and present their own findings, building experience that bridges school learning with university-level thinking.

Please note: This project has been adapted from a real business case. Some details have been modified for educational use.

🔍 What You’ll Learn🎯 Understand all the pathways into engineering – uni, apprenticeships, and more💬 Kickstart your real-world project with a live industry brief and startup challenge📝 Learn about entrance tests like ESAT and PAT🧭 Explore what careers you can pursue with an engineering degree🔧 Present your project and receive feedback from industry mentors

Delivered in partnership with Head Start, this programme is ideal for students going into Years 10 to 13 who are serious about engineering and want to gain clarity, confidence, and insight into what lies ahead.

PRESENTED BY

• Louise Holland (Senior Education Leader)Former CEO of a DfE-funded national training companyExperience across Primary to Higher Education and national EdTech innovation

💡 Who It’s For:

• Students in Years 10, 11, or 12
• Parents are welcome to attend or join at the end of each day
• Ideal for anyone starting to explore engineering as a career

🎟️ What You’ll Get:

• 6+ hours of live, interactive content
• Access to expert mentors and successful applicants
• An action plan to get you started
• Certificate of attendance

IMPORTANT FACTS

📊 Engineering Entry: How Tough Is It?

1. The University of Cambridge Engineering acceptance rate is just 15.35%, with over 2,410 applicants vying for ~370 offers last year.2. Oxford Engineering is similarly competitive, accepting around 16% of applicants.3. Imperial College London, with over 10 applicants per place in Mechanical Engineering and just 4-10% success rates in key engineering courses.4. Over 217,000 applications were submitted for UK engineering degrees in 2024- a 14% year-on-year increase, highlighting rising student interest.5. Quality work experience isn’t optional- Prospects.ac.uk notes it “makes you stand out” in a competitive job market.