An important milestone for The Code

Date published: 18 January 2024

300 organisations unite to inspire a diverse engineering and technology workforce

The Tomorrow’s Engineers Code is today celebrating an important milestone – the community now has over 300 members dedicated to increasing the diversity and number of young people entering engineering and technology careers.

United by this common goal, the collaborative community has expanded to include organisations of all sizes from across the engineering, technology, and education sectors. Aiming to collectively improve their engineering outreach programmes for young people, members share knowledge and best practice and commit to 4 pledges to shape their engagement activities and strategy.

Cat Sturman, Senior Code Manager at EngineeringUK – which manages The Tomorrow’s Engineers Code – comments: “We’re delighted that, in just over 3 years, The Code has grown to over 300 members. While there is already a lot of great work being done to inspire the next generation into engineering and technology, the workforce and skills shortage isn’t something that can be solved by any one organisation on its own.

“The Code aims to drive collaboration and grow the collective impact of engineering and tech inspiration and careers activities for young people. We’re proud of what the community has achieved so far and look forward to welcoming even more members over the coming year as we strive to deliver a joined-up approach to drive change at scale.”

Organisations joining The Code believe in working together to inspire the next generation.  Renishaw, a global engineering technology group that creates high precision technology for metrology and healthcare, is a Signatory of The Code.

Rebecca Bound, their Early Careers STEM Outreach Officer, comments: “Being a part of The Tomorrow’s Engineers Code gives Renishaw the opportunity to be a part of a flagship community that works collaboratively to influence and inspire more young people into engineering careers. As a world leading supplier of measuring systems and manufacturing systems our business is striving to attract more diversity into our early careers talent pipeline and The Code is helping us to build and develop our outreach programmes to engage further with underrepresented groups. The Code community also shares best practice and further understanding around the key challenges that we face in meeting our goals.”

Renishaw joins other leading engineering and technology firms, as well as government departments, charities and STEM delivery providers, in becoming members of the Code community. Other Signatories include Equinor, Hydraulics Online, Ørsted, Sellafield, Siemens, The Met Office and Wessex Water. Professional engineering institutions are also well represented among Signatories including the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

Coleen Forde, National Skills Co-ordinator at renewable energy company Ørsted, comments: “At Ørsted our vision is to create a world that runs entirely on green energy. To achieve this we need to nurture forward thinking and innovative engineers to allow us to continue to develop new, transformational technologies in renewable energy. We joined The Code because we believe in organisations working together in a coordinated approach and sharing best practice in STEM engagement to inspire our future generations of engineers.”

Any UK-based organisation that funds, designs or delivers engineering outreach activities, or intends to, is invited to become a Signatory, which is free to do. Any organisation not meeting these criteria, but supporting the aims of The Code, can join as a Supporter. 

At Ørsted our vision is to create a world that runs entirely on green energy. To achieve this we need to nurture forward thinking and innovative engineers to allow us to continue to develop new, transformational technologies in renewable energy. We joined The Code because we believe in organisations working together in a coordinated approach and sharing best practice in STEM engagement to inspire our future generations of engineers.

— Coleen Forde, National Skills Co-ordinator at Ørsted