Girls and young women across the UK can now learn more about civil engineering, thanks to the expansion of a partnership between the ICE and Girlguiding.
The badge is available to guides (aged 10 to 14) and rangers (aged 14 to 18) who complete at least two interactive activities designed to bring civil engineering to life.
The activities include designing and testing chocolate bar bridges and constructing a tower on jelly, to learn about ground conditions.
The initiative was developed to “create a safe space where girls feel confident to experiment, build and discover the many possibilities that engineering has to offer”, Kirstie Pogson,
Girlguiding Midlands chief commissioner said.
The campaign was piloted in Northern Ireland, Wales, London and south-east England in 2023. Since then, it has expanded, and after recently being extended to Anglia, the Midlands and south-west England, is now available nationwide.
To date, 15,000 civil engineering badges have been awarded across the UK.
ICE chief membership officer Joanna Horton said: “Reaching full UK coverage is a significant milestone for this partnership. The more young people see that civil engineering is creative, collaborative and open to everyone, the stronger and more inclusive our profession becomes.”
To date, 15,000 civil engineering badges have been awarded across the UK
One of the aims of the collaboration is to address the gender disparity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Stem) fields across the UK.
Figures from Engineering UK show that although girls made up half of all maths and physics GCSE students, these figures drop at A-level and higher education levels.
Karen Johnson, Girlguiding Anglia’s chief commissioner, said: “We know how important Stem is to our members, so we are really excited to be able to work alongside the ICE to provide this wonderful opportunity.
“We want to empower and inspire our members to lead the way and prove that girls really can do anything.”
Feedback on the programme shows that, on average, 17% of participants expressed an interest in civil engineering before engaging with the activities. Afterwards, this jumped to 83%.
The programme also offers guides and rangers an opportunity to connect with mentors who are working and studying in the civil engineering field.
Girlguiding leaders can run the activities, but ICE volunteers are also encouraged to get involved and share their experiences.
Ellie Thomas, an engineer at AtkinsRéalis and Girlguiding Wales Cymru volunteer, said: “I believe the partnership between the ICE and Girlguiding is such a powerful way to give young girls visible role models and to encourage more females into the profession.
“Volunteering has been incredibly rewarding, seeing girls gain confidence, curiosity, and a genuine interest in civil engineering.”
Stem Ambassadors across the UK who are interested in supporting this initiative should contact their local ICE team.
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