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# Born to Engineer

> Born to Engineer is a free resource for students, teachers and parents exploring engineering: classroom toolkits, careers guides, films and the latest engineering news.

## Sitemaps
- [XML Sitemap](https://www.borntoengineer.com/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages.

## Resources
- [Engineering salaries in the UK, from apprentice to chartered engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/engineering-salaries-uk): The guide is aimed at students considering a career in engineering and at parents and carers assisting them with their decision. It explains the salaries engineers in the UK earn at each stage, from the first year of an apprenticeship to senior and chartered positions, and shows how pay varies among disciplines.
- [Engineering key dates: deadlines for the year ahead](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/engineering-key-dates): This guide is for students planning their next year, parents and carers helping them, and teachers and careers leaders building a calendar. It lists deadlines and start dates for engineering applications and opportunities: UCAS, scholarships, competitions, work experience, summer schools and taster courses.
- [The Gatsby Benchmarks: how Born to Engineer helps you meet them](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/gatsby-benchmarks-engineering): The guide is aimed at career leaders, teachers and anyone planning careers education in a secondary school or college in England. It sets out the eight Gatsby Benchmarks as they currently are and shows which free Born to Engineer resources can help you meet them when engineering is included in your careers programme.
- [Virtual Engineering Work Experience: Free Online Programmes That Count](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/virtual-engineering-work-experience): For the 2026 entry, the UCAS personal statement has been altered and this change is more significant than many people think. Rather than writing a single free-form essay, applicants now have to respond to three questions, one of which is: what else have you done to prepare outside of your education and why are those experiences useful? This is a clear call for evidence, with a minimum of 350 characters for each answer (4,000 characters in total), and it appears on every engineering application regardless of whether or not you have anything to include.
- [A Week in the Life: Engineering Degree Apprentice vs Engineering Student](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/a-week-in-the-life-engineering-degree-apprentice-vs-engineering-student): A case can be made which should make anyone who thinks that the apprenticeship route is clearly the more satisfactory one question that view. The 2026 Student Academic Experience Survey shows that students on degree apprenticeship programmes were considerably less satisfied than other students with their choice of study, 18% of them saying that they had preferred to have taken a job or chosen an alternative outside higher education. Overall satisfaction among students reached a peak during the decade.
- [Which Engineering Discipline Suits You?](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/which-engineering-discipline-suits-you): It's an uncomfortable figure to start with. According to a briefing by EngineeringUK in July 2026, just 36% of young people said they know a fair amount about the work of engineers, and more than half of teachers feel confident giving advice about vocational and technical routes into the profession. You are therefore required to select a discipline when filling in a UCAS form or applying for an apprenticeship, with essentially no guidance.
- [How to Get Engineering Work Experience in Year 10 and Year 12](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-to-get-engineering-work-experience-in-year-10-and-year-12): Starting in September 2026, schools will change how they handle work experience. The Department for Education updated its careers guidance on 23 June 2026, outlining the Government's work experience guarantee: students in Years 7 to 9 will do a week of work experience activities, and those in Years 10 and 11 will have a week of real placements. This is not law yet, but schools should start planning for it, and Ofsted will check progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks during inspections.
- [How Engineering is Evolving To Meet The Challenges of the Future](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-engineering-is-evolving-to-meet-the-challenges-of-the-future): But don’t worry. Engineering will still offer many exciting and well–paid career opportunities. In fact, across several fields, engineers are expected to be in high demand across the next ten years…and beyond.
- [Engineering Degrees vs Degree-Level Apprenticeships: What’s Right For Me?](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/engineering-degrees-vs-degree-level-apprenticeship): The introduction of degree-level apprenticeships means it’s now possible to gain an equivalent qualification while learning on the job.
- [How Studying a Physics A-Level Can Prepare You For An Engineering Career](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-studying-a-physics-a-level-can-prepare-you-for-an-engineering-career): If you dream of becoming a civil, mechanical or aerospace engineer, Physics A-Level is required for most courses; chemical engineering usually needs chemistry instead, and some electrical courses accept electronics, further maths, chemistry or computer science. Physics lays the universal foundations needed for a deep conceptual grasp of how things work in the physical world – from tiny electrons to vast structures like bridges and aircraft.
- [How vocational qualifications in engineering are changing](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/vocational-qualifications-2024-engineering): It’s not helped by the fact that the UK government is making a number of ongoing reforms to vocational qualifications, with a number of new qualifications being created and abolished.
- [How the Scottish Baccalaureate in Science Can Prepare You for An Engineering Degree](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/scottish-baccalaureate-engineering-career-pathway): The Scottish Baccalaureate in Science is a comprehensive qualification, designed to provide aspiring engineers with a rigorous and rewarding educational experience during their final two years of secondary school.
- [How to Choose the Right IB Courses to Prepare You For An Engineering Career](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/international-baccalaureate-diploma-engineering-career): If you’re currently studying for your International Baccalaureate Diploma and you think you might be interested in an engineering career, then we’ve got good news.
- [How Studying a Chemistry A-Level Can Prepare You For an Engineering Career](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/chemistry-engineering-career): The clue is in the name. Chemistry is a worthwhile A-Level to consider if you’re thinking of studying a degree and/or pursuing a career in a specialist engineering discipline like chemical engineering or biomedical engineering.
- [How Geography A-level Can Prepare You For An Engineering Career](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/geography-a-level-engineering): Engineering is about solving problems and creating solutions in the real world, and what better way to understand this world than through geography? Studying for a Geography A-Level gives you valuable insights into how natural and human environments interact, an understanding that’s critical for engineers in several different fields.
- [How Biology A-level Can Prepare You For An Engineering Career](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/biology-engineering-careers): Biology A-level is easy to overlook, but it builds systems thinking, data skills and lab experience that suit biomedical, environmental and agricultural engineering.
- [How Studying a Maths A-Level Can Prepare You For an Engineering Career](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-studying-a-maths-a-level-can-prepare-you-for-an-engineering-career): It’s what makes Maths A-Level an essential qualification if you want to go on to study an engineering degree. In this blog post, we’ll look at both the technical skills and the soft skills that a Maths A-Level can equip you with.
- [The Ultimate Guide to Studying & Working in Electronic Engineering](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/electronic-engineering): But what exactly is electronic engineering? At its core, this field revolves around the design, development, and maintenance of electronic systems.
- [How Studying Computer Science or Computing at A-Level Can Prepare You For An Engineering Career](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/computer-science-engineering-careers): For students interested in pursuing software, computer systems or informatics engineering at university, choosing Computer Science at A-Level can set you up for success, both at degree or apprentice level, and subsequently in your engineering career.
- [10 Exciting Engineering Challenges for Kids Using Simple Materials at Home](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/10-exciting-engineering-challenges-for-kids-using-simple-materials-at-home): Ten hands-on engineering challenges to try at home with everyday materials, from marshmallow towers to paper aeroplanes, each one introducing a real engineering idea.
- [Automation Engineering: A Comprehensive Guide for Aspiring Engineers](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-to-become-a-automation-engineer): As technology continues to evolve, the field of engineering has seen significant growth, especially in the area of automation engineering. Automation engineering has become a popular field due to its ability to create and optimize systems that function without human intervention.
- [Getting Started with a Career in Electrical Engineering](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/getting-started-with-a-career-in-electrical-engineering): Have you ever used a mobile phone, cooked your food in a microwave, or flicked the lights on a dark winter morning?
- [The best mechanical engineering degrees in the UK](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/best-mechanical-engineering-degrees-in-the-uk): Are you interested in automation, robotics, cars or even medical engineering? A career in mechanical engineering (M.E.) will open up a huge number of opportunities to you.
- [What civil engineers do, pay and how to become one](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/introduction-to-civil-engineering): Updated October 2026. All links and schemes verified against official sources.
- [Mechanical Engineering Careers, Degrees and Vocational Qualifications](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/mechanical-engineering-careers-degrees-and-vocational-qualifications): Being an engineer is not just one profession but covers those working in many different engineering fields.
- [Minal Patel, engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/minal-patel): Minal Patel is an engineer. She joined fellow engineers Mimi-Isabella Nwosu and Ebony Allison for the Born to Engineer roundtable, an honest conversation about everything from working in McDonald's to diversity and pay.
- [John Wheal, systems engineer at NATS](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/john-wheal): John Wheal is a systems engineer at NATS, which provides air traffic control services in the UK. He is part of a team designing and building the next generation of air traffic control systems. Those systems keep air passengers safe, so it's vital that John and the team get them right.
- [Professor Eleanor Stride, biomedical engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/eleanor-stride): Professor Eleanor Stride is a biomedical engineer at the University of Oxford. She develops new ways of delivering chemotherapy drugs.
- [Ebony Allison, electronic engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/ebony-allison): Ebony Allison is an electronic engineer. She joined fellow engineers Mimi-Isabella Nwosu and Minal Patel for the Born to Engineer roundtable, an honest conversation about everything from working in McDonald's to diversity and pay.
- [Milly Hennayake, civil engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/milly-hennayake): Milly Hennayake is a civil engineer. She studied civil engineering at the University of Cambridge, and first got involved with Engineers Without Borders UK at university.
- [Nina Parsons, engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/nina-parsons): It took just one day at a race track for Nina Parsons to know that she wanted to be an engineer.
- [Mathew Holloway, innovation design engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/mathew-holloway): Mathew Holloway is an innovation design engineer. His award-winning Q-Bot robot helps housing providers tackle fuel poverty and climate change.
- [Orla Murphy, engineer at Jaguar Land Rover](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/orla-murphy): Orla Murphy grew up in rural Ireland, where she remembers how exciting it was when the family tractor was upgraded with a radio.
- [Adrian Westaway, design engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/adrian-westaway): Adrian Westaway is a design engineer and co-founder of the invention studio Special Projects.
- [Yusuf Muhammad, design engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/yusuf-muhammad): Yusuf Muhammad is a design engineer. Working from London's HMS President, he developed a household fire-safety device that brings the techniques of professional firefighters into everyday kitchen plumbing, so it puts out fires fast.
- [Faye Banks, electrical transmission engineer](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/faye-banks): Faye Banks took an apprenticeship in electrical engineering. It let her earn while she learned, and led to a senior management position at National Grid.
- [How to Find the Right Engineering Placement at University](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-to-find-the-right-engineering-placement-at-university): If you find yourself studying towards an engineering degree, it’s possible you will be required to undertake work placement or a year in industry. These can be invaluable insights into life as a graduate engineer, and they will also be powerful additions to your CV when you do finally apply for an engineering job.
- [What skills will I need to become an engineer?](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/what-skills-do-i-need-for-an-engineering-career): An understanding of your skills and interests must be the foundation of your career planning.
- [The Best Extracurricular Activities for Aspiring Engineers](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/the-best-extracurricular-activities-for-aspiring-engineers): Whilst there is a lot of demand for engineers and STEM graduates in the UK job market, that doesn’t change the fact that many engineering degrees, apprentices and jobs are highly competitive.
- [A Beginner's Guide to Finding an Engineering Apprenticeship](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/a-beginners-guide-to-finding-an-engineering-apprenticeship): These are apprenticeships for students who are still at secondary school and are just starting out. If you’re reading this and you want to start learning a trade and getting paid to do so as quickly as possible, then look into an Intermediate Apprenticeship - they’re a great way of getting your foot on the engineering career ladder.
- [How open days can help you choose the right engineering degree](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-open-days-can-help-you-choose-the-right-engineering-degree): If you’re applying to study engineering at university, then you’ll know that there are a lot of degrees courses out there, covering a broad range of engineering disciplines. But researching potential degree courses needs to go further than just scrolling through the UCAS course directory. It’s important that, when you get to the point of honing your final shortlist of potential engineering courses, you make sure you gain an appreciation of the day-to-day realities of studying engineering at university. You’ll also likely have outstanding questions about what you personally can gain from your chosen course of study that you may not be able to get from a course description on a website. That’s why you need to make open days and campus tours a central part of your decision making. There are a number of reasons why an open day can help you choose the right engineering degree. You can see the campus where you’ll be studying and decide whether it’s right for you. You can meet engineering faculty members and ask questions about your chosen course. You might be able to meet current students who are taking your chosen degree and find out about the realities of studying this degree. In this article, we’re going to discuss how you should plan and strategise your university open day visits, and how to get the most out of them when you eventually do visit. Planning your university open days Planning and organising your university open days is essential. You’ll need to be honest with yourself about how many you can fit in (especially when taking into account days away from school/college) and how you will make the most out of your visits - after all, the UK is a big place! Most university’s engineering faculties will offer some kind of open day or will host faculty visits. Once you have an idea of which universities are on your final UCAS shortlist, you should check out the websites of your chosen university to see which faculties offer visits/open days. Here are just a few examples of some university faculties and the kind of open days/visits they offer. The University of Nottingham Faculty of Engineering University of Birmingham School of Engineering University of Leeds School of Mechanical Engineering But you need to make sure you plan your engineering open days wisely. Here are a number of useful questions to ask yourself as you do. How many universities will you visit? The number of universities you visit will depend on how you can fit them into your school/college schedule and, perhaps equally importantly, geography. For example, if you’re reading this and you live in Bristol, then a visit to St Andrews in Scotland will require more careful consideration. Can you do the whole visit in one day? Whilst you might only think you’re going to see a faculty or single school, you may discover that getting a feel for the whole campus and the local area could be hard to fit in one day. It ultimately depends on what you’re hoping to get from a university open day, but you need to plan them carefully to ensure you see and do everything you need to. This is slightly linked to something we discussed in relation to the last question - after all, if you’re travelling a long way to visit an engineering faculty, then it makes sense to make a trip out of it, and perhaps stay in your chosen university town/city overnight, so you can really get a feel for the local area. What questions will you ask when you get there? We’ll get to some of the questions you should ask in the next section. But before you attend an open day, note down which questions you want to ask, and who you’re going to approach - as we’ve already discussed, you can’t afford to waste time. In the next section, we’ll look at some of the questions you should ask when you attend your engineering open day, ensuring that you’re able to evaluate if it’s the right course for you. The questions you need to ask at an open day If you ask the right questions, you can learn a lot at an open day. This will, in turn, inform decisions that may affect the next few years of your life. Here are some of the questions that might come in handy. How will you be taught? Many engineering courses are heavily lecture-based, especially in the earlier years. However it’s worth asking how you’ll be taught, be it in larger lectures or smaller tutorials/seminars. Will you spend a lot of time a lab, or doing group work? What works best for you? What’s the balance of theory/practical work? Some courses will be more theory based and you may be taught more in the classroom. Others will be more practical in nature and may require more laboratory work. Asking this question can help you to better understand what skills and competencies you’ll learn during the course of your degree. How will you be assessed? This is a question that will help you to determine your workload and will help you to align the degree course with how you like to learn. Is the degree mainly assessed through exams, or is there more coursework/written assessments? Or a fairly even mix of both? Will you be expected to complete a dissertation or extended written assessment? What qualification will you graduate with? You’ll hopefully know the answer to this question before you go to an open day - but just in case you haven’t, it’s definitely worth asking. Some engineering degree courses are four years long, and you will come out with a Masters of Engineering (MEng). Others will see you graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng). Even if the degree is four years in length, it’s worth finding out what grades you will need to proceed to that fourth Masters year - if your marks aren’t high enough, you’ll only be awarded a Bachelor’s degree. Will you be a chartered engineer at the end of my degree? As well as a university degree, some accredited engineering degrees meet the academic requirement for Chartered Engineer status (an accredited MEng, or an accredited BEng plus further Masters-level learning); you then show your competence through work experience before applying through a professional engineering institution. This can be a real boost to your career, and it’s worth asking if the degree will lead to you achieving chartered status, and the criteria you will need to meet in order to get there. What opportunities are there for further study? You may already be thinking that you want to go on to study a more specialised engineering-based masters degree after your undergraduate course. You may even want to move into research and study towards a PhD. If this is relevant to you, then don’t forget to make some enquiries! What are the graduate outcomes for this degree? Or, to put it another way, will I get a good job after my degree is over? It’s worth asking what the employment prospects are for previous undergraduates. Has the faculty got any stats about how many graduates of this degree were employed after one year, or what their average starting salary was? What career support will you get whilst studying? You’ll want support in finding a good job whilst you’re still at university too. So it’s worth asking what careers advice you can access during the course of your engineering degree. Is there a careers office at the university that will be able to help you with, for example, organising relevant work placements or internships while you study? How will your placement/year in industry be organised? Some university degrees (for example, vocational degrees) will include an industrial placement or a year in industry. If you’re applying for one of these degrees, ensure you ask questions about the faculty’s connections with industry. Is your placement organised for you, or will you have to organise it yourself? What do current undergraduates have to say about the course? Don’t forget to ask current undergraduates what their experience of the course, and the university is like. This is a valuable opportunity to get the perspective of people who are your peers. Remember that university faculties are trying to market themselves to you, so current students can give you more of a rounded perspective of life on campus. And don’t forget to ask some extra-curricular questions too! You’re not just there to ask questions about the course. Remember that a university open day is your chance to find out if the campus is somewhere you can see yourself spending the next three/four years of your life. As much as the course may be an academic fit, are you going to be happy studying there? Some useful questions to ask include: What societies/clubs can you join? What’s the accommodation on campus like? What pastoral support will you receive from your Student Union? Can you take a look at the halls of residence? Will catered or self-catered be the best option for you? An open day can be an invaluable research tool. Studying an engineering degree will go from being something you read about in a university prospectus or on a website, to a real, tangible possibility. It can give you a valuable insight into the everyday reality of being an engineering undergraduate. It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to pass up.
- [How to Find The Right Engineering Pathway For You](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-to-find-the-right-engineering-pathway-for-you): The different pathways into engineering are various - and each pathway is a valuable learning experience in its own way.
- [The Different Types of Engineering (And Their Career Paths) Explained](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/the-different-types-of-engineering-and-their-career-paths-explained): Being an engineer doesn’t just encompass one job. In fact, engineering is a large family of careers. Whilst all engineering careers share a number of core general skills, they quickly branch out into different specialisms that require very different skillsets.
- [University, Vocational or Apprenticeship](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/university-vocational-or-apprenticeship): If you’re someone who’s thinking about embarking on an engineering career pathway, we’ll give you the really good news first.
- [Classroom resources: how to make the world more sustainable](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/classroom-resources-make-the-world-more-sustainable): The D&T Association has compiled a free set of resources, sponsored by the ERA Foundation.
- [Tap Children's Natural Curiosity with STEM](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-to-get-children-curious-about-stem): As they grow and change, children develop unique understandings of the world around them.
- [How to make your Engineering CV stand out](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-to-make-your-engineering-cv-stand-out): Engineering roles require a set of strong technical and transferable skills, and showcasing these on your CV is the first important step on your job search. First impressions count, and recruiters are time-poor people, so you want to make sure your CV stands out!
- [How to write the perfect cover letter for your dream engineering career](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/how-to-write-the-perfect-cover-letter-for-your-dream-engineering-career): As one of the fastest-growing and most exciting industries, engineering is a popular career choice if you want to make significant earnings, have stability in your job and ensure a prosperous future.
- [STEM Book Club: Books for younger Children that Encourage Learning](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/stem-book-club-books-for-younger-children-that-encourage-learning-in-2017): Experts across education and industry agree that there is a national shortage of students with a thorough understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM.) It is never too early to start STEM education and an ideal way to get your kids inspired about STEM is through reading.
- [STEM Book Club: 15 Books to get you Engaged with Engineering](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/stem-book-club-15-books-get-engaged-engineering): In 2016, a study from Columbia University and the University of Washington confirmed what most of us already knew, reading about the personal and intellectual struggles of scientists makes you feel more motivated to learn science!

## Toolkits
- [Fusion](https://www.borntoengineer.com/stem-classroom-toolkit/fusion)
- [Cancer and Biomedical Engineering](https://www.borntoengineer.com/stem-classroom-toolkit/cancer-biomedical-engineering)
- [Antibubbles](https://www.borntoengineer.com/stem-classroom-toolkit/antibubbles)
- [Combustion](https://www.borntoengineer.com/stem-classroom-toolkit/combustion)
- [Electricity](https://www.borntoengineer.com/stem-classroom-toolkit/electricity)
- [Use any ‘Born to Engineer’ film in your Classroom](https://www.borntoengineer.com/stem-classroom-toolkit/use-teaching-packs)

## Videos
- [Roundtable](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/roundtable)
- [Mimi Isabella Nwosu](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/mimi-isabella-nwosu)
- [Richard Browning](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/richard-browning)
- [Milly Hennayake](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/milly-hennayake)
- [Orla Murphy](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/orla-murphy)
- [John Wheal](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/john-wheal)
- [Ben Ryan](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/ben-ryan)
- [Angelo Grubisic](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/wingsuit-dr-angelo-grubisic)
- [Steve Greenland](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/steve-greenland)
- [Lewis Wilde](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/lewis-wilde)
- [Mathew Holloway](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/mathew-holloway)
- [Kim Cave-Ayland](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/kim-cave-ayland)
- [Faye Banks](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/faye-banks)
- [Women in Engineering](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/women-in-engineering)
- [Nina Parsons](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/nina-parsons)
- [Adrian Westaway](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/adrian-westaway)
- [Yusuf Muhammad](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/yusuf-muhammad)
- [Alice Martin](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/alice-martin)
- [Sam Fraser](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/sam-fraser)
- [George Edwards](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/george-edwards)
- [Eleanor Stride](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/eleanor-stride)
- [Andrew Robertson](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video/andrew-robertson)

## Pages
- [Brand guidelines](https://www.borntoengineer.com/brand-guidelines): Logos, colours, type and voice for Born to Engineer on social media, for the team and the scheduled tasks.
- [Accessibility statement](https://www.borntoengineer.com/accessibility): How accessible Born to Engineer is, the problems we know about, and how to tell us about one.
- [Our editorial team and standards](https://www.borntoengineer.com/editorial-policy): Born to Engineer is a free guide to becoming an engineer in the UK, for students aged 14 to 18, their parents and their teachers. It is written and checked by the Born to Engineer editorial team, and is a campaign of the ERA Foundation.
- [Contact and submissions](https://www.borntoengineer.com/contact): Get in touch about the site, the films, a correction or a story idea.
- [The David Clark Prize](https://www.borntoengineer.com/teachers/david-clark-prize): An ERA Foundation prize for teachers who bring engineering to life in the classroom and inspire young people to consider it as a career.
- [For teachers](https://www.borntoengineer.com/teachers): Free engineering careers material for the classroom: a weekly tutor pack built from the news, STEM Classroom Toolkits, and guides to share with students and parents. Mapped to Gatsby Benchmarks 2, 4 and 5.
- [Pathways into engineering](https://www.borntoengineer.com/pathways): How to become an engineer in the UK: choose a discipline, pick a route (degree, apprenticeship or T Level), take the right subjects, and get the experience and funding that open doors.
- [Born to Engineer STEM Digital Communicator Grant](https://www.borntoengineer.com/stem-digital-communicator-grant)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.borntoengineer.com/privacy): What we collect when you use Born to Engineer, why, who we share it with and the choices you have.
- [Our Mission](https://www.borntoengineer.com/about)
- [Resources](https://www.borntoengineer.com/engineering-resources)
- [Engineering news](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news)
- [Home](https://www.borntoengineer.com/)

## Posts
- [Why Jet Engine Makers Are Going Back to Materials They Abandoned 50 Years Ago](https://www.borntoengineer.com/why-jet-engine-makers-are-going-back-to-materials-they-abandoned-50-years-ago): China's rare earth dominance is forcing jet engine manufacturers to revisit ceramic thermal barrier coatings abandoned in the 1970s. Researchers believe modern tools might close the performance gap, but Prof Sanjay Sampath estimates a viable replacement is five years away.
- [Got a tech idea that could help people? Samsung Solve for Tomorrow wants to hear it](https://www.borntoengineer.com/samsung-solve-for-tomorrow-2027-competition): A free national competition for 11 to 18 year olds, with mentoring, work experience at Samsung and a national final in London. Entries close on 18 January 2027.
- [Pacific Fusion Achieves Pulsed Power Fusion Breakthrough at Sandia](https://www.borntoengineer.com/pulsed-power-fusion-target): Pacific Fusion has completed four successful pulsed power fusion tests at Sandia's Z facility, demonstrating a target design that could unlock a third path to commercial fusion energy.
- [Offshore Wind Cargo Drones Deliver 65 kg Loads to North Sea Turbines](https://www.borntoengineer.com/offshore-wind-cargo-drone): Skyports Drone Services delivered 65 kg cargo loads to Orsted's Hornsea 2 wind turbines off Yorkshire using heavy-lift drones, cutting logistics costs and turbine downtime.
- [World's First Ammonia-Powered Dry Bulk Carrier Enters Commercial Service](https://www.borntoengineer.com/ammonia-powered-ship): CMB.TECH's Mineral Europa, a 210,000-tonne bulk carrier with a dual-fuel ammonia engine, has entered commercial service carrying iron ore for Fortescue.
- [Parallel Systems Raises $100M for Autonomous Electric Railcar Fleet](https://www.borntoengineer.com/autonomous-electric-railcar): Parallel Systems has raised $100M to deploy its autonomous electric railcar, a battery-powered freight vehicle that runs on existing tracks without a locomotive or crew.
- [Engineers Create World’s First Floating Titanium Metamaterial](https://www.borntoengineer.com/floating-titanium-metamaterial): RMIT University engineers have created the world's first floating titanium metamaterial, a 3D-printed composite 70% stronger than stainless steel that bobs on water like a cork.
- [Jaguar Type 01: The Engineering Story Behind the Electric Car That 80 Years of Aluminium and Rivets Built](https://www.borntoengineer.com/jaguar-type-01-the-engineering-story-behind-the-electric-car-that-80-years-of-aluminium-and-rivets-built): The Jaguar Type 01. Image: Jaguar Land Rover.
- [UK Electric Vehicle Sales Smash September Record as Battery Power Hits 28% Market Share](https://www.borntoengineer.com/uk-electric-vehicle-sales-record): Last month, UK electric vehicle sales figures showed something remarkable. In September 2026, 99,201 pure battery electric vehicles reached British roads, a 36.3 per cent increase compared with the same month the previous year. 28.3 per cent of all new cars sold in the country were powered entirely by electricity.
- [Clifton Suspension Bridge Refurbishment: How Engineers Repainted 4,000 Chain Links](https://www.borntoengineer.com/clifton-suspension-bridge-refurbishment-deep-dive): How engineers hand-painted over 4,000 iron chain links on Clifton Suspension Bridge, protecting Brunel's ironwork for 20 to 25 years and adding colour-changing lights.
- [Fully Implanted Cochlear Implant: The Invisible Device Restoring Hearing Without External Hardware](https://www.borntoengineer.com/fully-implanted-cochlear-implant): For people with any of the roughly 736,900 cochlear implants registered worldwide by December 2019, all devices currently on the market share one obvious characteristic: the processor is worn on the outside of the head. It either hooks over the ear or fastens to the skull using a magnet, thereby signalling its presence to anyone who looks aside. This is about to be altered. The first fully implanted cochlear implant, Envoy Medical's Acclaim device, is now available to patients as part of a clinical trial, with no external hardware.
- [Vacuum Enhanced Superconductivity: How Empty Space Itself Strengthens a Superconductor](https://www.borntoengineer.com/vacuum-enhanced-superconductivity): There's a saying in physics that at first seems contradictory: the quantum vacuum is not empty. Even when space is freed of all matter and radiation, it still shows activity at the quantum level, with virtual particles appearing and disappearing so quickly no instrument can directly observe them. It's a concept students accept during lectures without fully believing. A group from the University of Science and Technology of China has now given a solid reason to take it seriously by using the quantum vacuum—shaped and confined—to boost vacuum enhanced superconductivity in a real material. The result, published in Nature, is both strange and possibly transformative.
- [FIFA World Cup Ball Sensors: Engineering the Trionda](https://www.borntoengineer.com/fifa-world-cup-ball-sensors): The Adidas Trionda match ball packs a 500Hz IMU, UWB positioning, and inductive charging into a 3-gram module that tracks every kick at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- [Bimodal Nuclear Spacecraft Could Halve Mars Travel Time](https://www.borntoengineer.com/bimodal-nuclear-spacecraft-mars): NASA and General Atomics propose a reactor with two independent loops, one for thrust and one for electrical power, that could cut a Mars round trip from 620 to 335 days.
- [Range Rover Electric: 800-Volt Architecture Built in Solihull](https://www.borntoengineer.com/range-rover-electric-800-volt-2): JLR's first fully electric Range Rover uses an 800-volt battery system with silicon carbide inverters, built on the same Solihull production line as its combustion siblings.
- [Reusable Rocket Engineering: How Landing Boosters Transformed the Economics of Space](https://www.borntoengineer.com/reusable-rocket-engineering): A figure that would have seemed fanciful a decade ago is now reality: one rocket booster has gone to the edge of space and returned to Earth thirty-seven times. Not thirty-seven different boosters, but the same one. Booster 1067, the first stage of a Falcon 9, has been refurbished and relaunched so often that its landing legs have become a well-known feature on SpaceX's drone ships. World Space Week 2026, from 4 to 10 October with the theme "Rocket Revolution", comes at a time when reusable rocket technology has progressed from an audacious experiment to an established industry practice.
- [Offshore Geothermal Energy: First Seafloor Power System](https://www.borntoengineer.com/offshore-geothermal-energy-seafloor): Endurance Energy has generated electricity from a geothermal well drilled 1,500 metres beneath the Pacific Ocean, the first offshore geothermal power system ever deployed.
- [South Gare Breakwater: Granite Rock Armour Shields Teesside](https://www.borntoengineer.com/south-gare-breakwater-rock-armour): Engineers begin placing 15,000 tonnes of Norwegian granite to protect the 150-year-old South Gare breakwater on the River Tees from increasingly severe North Sea storms.
- [Rare Earth Recovery from Coal Ash: The Bio-Inspired Engineering Turning Waste into Critical Minerals](https://www.borntoengineer.com/rare-earth-recovery-coal-ash): You wouldn't normally think of coal ash when considering the future of high-technology supply chains since it is grey, powdery, slightly toxic, and is stored in huge impoundments located near power stations all over the United States. Most of it remains there, presenting a difficult waste management problem with the only profitable use being its incorporation into concrete.
- [Small Modular Reactor Wylfa: UK’s First SMR Takes Shape](https://www.borntoengineer.com/small-modular-reactor-wylfa): Arup leads the engineering team designing the UK's first small modular reactor at Wylfa, where three Rolls-Royce SMRs will generate 1.5 GWe of clean power.
- [Superhot Rock Geothermal: Drilling Three Miles for Clean Power](https://www.borntoengineer.com/superhot-rock-geothermal-drilling): Mazama Energy's superhot rock geothermal wells drill three miles down to tap 400°C heat, with each well generating 15MW of round-the-clock clean power.
- [Lignin Carbon Fibre: Paper Waste Cuts Costs 25 Percent](https://www.borntoengineer.com/lignin-carbon-fibre-paper-waste-2): Engineers have made lignin carbon fibre using paper-making waste and nanotubes, halving petroleum use and cutting production costs by 25 percent.
- [Synthetic Methane Production: UK Startup Mines Fuel from the Sky](https://www.borntoengineer.com/synthetic-methane-production-rivan): UK startup Rivan uses DAC and solar power for synthetic methane production, feeding carbon-neutral gas directly into the grid from its Wiltshire plant.
- [Orkney Subsea Cable: £1bn Link Connects Islands to UK Grid](https://www.borntoengineer.com/orkney-subsea-cable-uk-grid): SSEN Transmission's £1bn Orkney subsea cable will connect the archipelago to the GB grid for the first time, unlocking 220MW of renewable energy.
- [GPS-Free Satellite Navigation: NASA’s FALCON Finds Its Way by Starlight](https://www.borntoengineer.com/gps-free-satellite-navigation): NASA's Starling mission demonstrated GPS-free satellite navigation by using other spacecraft and orbital debris as reference points, a first for optical space navigation.
- [BepiColombo Mercury Orbit: Spacecraft Sheds Engine for Eight-Year Final Approach](https://www.borntoengineer.com/bepicolombo-mercury-orbit): ESA's BepiColombo has shed its transfer module after an eight-year journey, beginning the final approach to enter Mercury orbit in November 2026.
- [Iron Nitride Magnets: Honda Backs Rare-Earth-Free Motor Technology](https://www.borntoengineer.com/iron-nitride-magnets-rare-earth-free): Honda has invested in Niron Magnetics to develop iron nitride magnets that could free electric vehicle motors from dependence on rare earth materials.
- [Phononic Subsurface Aircraft Tech Could Slash Fuel Use](https://www.borntoengineer.com/phononic-subsurface-aircraft-drag): University of Colorado researchers have solved two key limitations of phononic subsurface technology, bringing vibration-based aircraft drag reduction closer to real-world flight.
- [Light-Powered Soft Robot Keeps Jumping Forever](https://www.borntoengineer.com/light-powered-soft-robot-jumping): NC State researchers built a teardrop-shaped soft robot from liquid crystal elastomer that jumps 80 times its body height under infrared light and resets itself for continuous leaping.
- [Electro Sustainable Aviation Fuel Powers First US Flight](https://www.borntoengineer.com/electro-sustainable-aviation-fuel-flight): Infinium's electro sustainable aviation fuel, made from captured CO₂ and renewable electricity, powers its first US commercial passenger flight with no aircraft modifications.
- [Roman Space Telescope Launch: NASA’s New Eye on Space](https://www.borntoengineer.com/roman-space-telescope-launch): NASA's Roman Space Telescope launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, carrying a 2.4-metre mirror and 300-megapixel infrared camera to map dark energy and discover thousands of exoplanets.
- [Compact Fusion Reactor Design Validated](https://www.borntoengineer.com/compact-fusion-reactor-arc-design): Five peer-reviewed papers confirm the physics behind Commonwealth Fusion Systems' ARC compact fusion reactor, designed to power 280,000 homes.
- [HS2 Saltley Viaduct Rebuild Begins in Birmingham](https://www.borntoengineer.com/hs2-saltley-viaduct-rebuild): Engineers begin an 18-month programme to demolish and rebuild the HS2 Saltley Viaduct in Birmingham, raising it two metres to make way for high-speed rail.
- [Electric Mining Trucks Haul Iron Ore 1,250 Metres Underground](https://www.borntoengineer.com/electric-mining-trucks-underground): LKAB deploys 120-tonne battery-electric mining trucks from Scania at its Malmberget iron ore mine, operating over 1,250 metres below ground.
- [Radiative Cooling Fabric Keeps Skin 8°C Cooler Than Bare Skin](https://www.borntoengineer.com/radiative-cooling-fabric-purple): A new purple radiative cooling fabric reflects 88% of sunlight and stays cooler than white cotton, challenging assumptions about colour and heat.
- [Elastocaloric Cooling System Turns Waste Heat Into Cold](https://www.borntoengineer.com/elastocaloric-cooling-waste-heat): Researchers at KIT have built the first elastocaloric cooling system driven entirely by heat, using nickel-titanium shape memory films to convert waste heat into cooling without electricity.
- [LED Light Pollution in Cities: Why Brighter Streets Made Darker Skies](https://www.borntoengineer.com/led-light-pollution-cities): LED light pollution in cities is worsening despite energy-efficient streetlights. Engineers are rethinking colour temperature, shielding, and urban lighting design.
- [Skinningrove Flood Alleviation: Engineering Safer Homes](https://www.borntoengineer.com/skinningrove-flood-alleviation-scheme): A £13 million flood alleviation scheme in Skinningrove, North Yorkshire, will replace manual flood gates with a raised bridge and redesigned channel to protect over 100 homes.
- [Cellulose Hydrogel Wearable Sensors Work at -25°C for a Week](https://www.borntoengineer.com/cellulose-hydrogel-wearable-sensors): Cellulose hydrogel wearable sensors made from cotton pulp kept detecting motion at -25°C for 168 hours, enabling cold-weather flexible electronics.
- [Menai Suspension Bridge Anniversary: 200 Years of Telford’s Engineering](https://www.borntoengineer.com/menai-suspension-bridge-anniversary-2): The Menai Suspension Bridge anniversary celebrations mark 200 years since Thomas Telford's wrought-iron masterpiece connected Anglesey to mainland Wales.
- [Wooden Wind Turbine Blades: First Factory Targets Fiberglass Waste](https://www.borntoengineer.com/wooden-wind-turbine-blades-factory): Voodin Blade Technology is building the world's first factory for wooden wind turbine blades in Spain, replacing hard-to-recycle fiberglass composites.
- [Kinmel Bay Coastal Defence: 66,500 Tonnes of Rock](https://www.borntoengineer.com/kinmel-bay-coastal-defence): How Jones Bros used 66,500 tonnes of Welsh rock armour to build the Kinmel Bay coastal defence, protecting 2,000+ homes from the sea.
- [Ceramic Matrix Composites UK: Lucideon’s £500m Manufacturing Plan](https://www.borntoengineer.com/ceramic-matrix-composites-uk-manufacturing): Lucideon proposes a £500m ceramic matrix composites UK facility in Staffordshire, targeting aerospace, defence and nuclear supply chain sovereignty.
- [Fuel Cell Catalyst Could Power Data Centres](https://www.borntoengineer.com/fuel-cell-catalyst-data-centres): A new fuel cell catalyst from Washington University could let hydrogen fuel cells power data centres reliably for over 25,000 hours.
- [New Stainless Steel Green Hydrogen Breakthrough: SS-H2](https://www.borntoengineer.com/stainless-steel-green-hydrogen): A new stainless steel green hydrogen alloy, SS-H2, resists corrosion up to 1700mV using a counter-intuitive manganese passivation layer.
- [Atomically Thin Transistor Breakthrough at 0.42nm](https://www.borntoengineer.com/atomically-thin-transistor-breakthrough): An atomically thin transistor breakthrough from NYCU and TSMC uses a 0.42nm interface layer to push chip performance beyond today's silicon limits.
- [JCB Hydromax Hydrogen Speed Record Hits 406mph](https://www.borntoengineer.com/jcb-hydromax-hydrogen-speed-record): The JCB Hydromax hydrogen speed record now stands at 406.320mph after twin runs at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats, doubling the old combustion mark.
- [Rocket Lab Flatellite Satellite Wins $397M Contract](https://www.borntoengineer.com/rocket-lab-flatellite-satellite): Rocket Lab's flatellite satellite design won a $397 million US Space Force contract for a flat, stackable satellite constellation.
- [New PFAS Forever Chemicals Breakdown Methods Found](https://www.borntoengineer.com/pfas-forever-chemicals-breakdown): German researchers found two new PFAS forever chemicals breakdown methods, using cavitation and plasma to destroy pollutants in water.
- [Scientists Build First 3D Thermal Cloak to Hide Heat](https://www.borntoengineer.com/3d-thermal-cloak): Illinois engineers built the first 3D thermal cloak, a printed lattice that hides objects from infrared cameras by redirecting heat around them.

## Categories
- [Aerospace, Defence & Marine](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/aerospace-defence-marine): Aircraft, satellites, ships and submarines are some of the most complex things people build. This is where we cover the engineering behind them: new aircraft and engines, defence technology, and the vessels that keep the UK's ports and navy running. Every story links to the jobs behind it, from aerospace and mechanical engineers to the apprentices building and maintaining them, so you can see how to get into the sector yourself.
- [Automotive & Transport](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/automotive-transport): Electric cars, high-speed rail, buses and the networks that move millions of people every day. Our automotive and transport news explains how vehicles and transport systems are designed, built and kept running, and what is changing as the UK moves to electric and lower-carbon travel. Each article points to the careers involved, from vehicle design and battery engineering to rail and traffic systems.
- [Breakthroughs](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/breakthroughs): New discoveries and inventions that could change how we live, explained clearly. These stories cover first-of-their-kind results from universities and companies, what makes them important, and what still has to happen before they reach the real world. Each one links to the field of engineering behind it and the routes into that field. If a story sparks your interest, the related guides show what to study and where it could lead.
- [Chemicals](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/chemicals): Chemical engineers turn raw materials into the things we use every day: medicines, fuels, plastics, food and clean water. This is our news on chemical and process engineering, from new materials and recycling to cleaner ways of making the chemicals the world relies on. Each story shows the jobs behind it and how studying chemistry and maths can lead to a career in the field.
- [Construction & Infrastructure](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/construction-infrastructure): Bridges, tunnels, railways, flood defences and the buildings we live and work in. Our construction and infrastructure news covers the civil and structural engineering behind the UK's biggest projects, from HS2 to new homes and energy networks. Each article explains what the engineers on the project actually do, and links to guides on becoming a civil or structural engineer through a degree or an apprenticeship.
- [Electronics & Communications](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/electronics-communications): Chips, phones, networks, sensors and the software that ties them together. Our electronics and communications news explains the engineering inside the technology you use every day, and the work going on to make it faster, smaller and more efficient. Every story links to the careers behind it, from electronic and electrical engineering to computing and telecoms, and the subjects that lead there.
- [Energy & Environment](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/energy-environment): Wind farms, nuclear power, batteries, hydrogen and the grid that connects them. Our energy and environment news covers how engineers are generating cleaner power, storing it and cutting emissions, as well as projects that protect water, air and wildlife. Each article shows the jobs involved, from electrical and chemical engineering to environmental roles, and how to get into one of the UK's fastest-growing sectors.
- [Engineering News](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/latest): The latest engineering news, explained for students, parents and teachers. Three times a week we cover a story from across engineering, from space and energy to health and transport, and show the careers behind it: what the engineers involved actually do and how you could do it too. It is the place to start if you want a quick, honest view of what engineers are working on right now and where those jobs could take you.
- [Health](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/health): Prosthetic limbs, medical scanners, robotic surgery and new ways of making medicines. Our health engineering news covers where engineering meets medicine, and how biomedical engineers design the devices and systems that keep people well. Each story links to the careers behind it and explains how subjects like biology, physics and maths can lead to a role in biomedical or healthcare engineering.
- [Infographics](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/infographic): Engineering explained in pictures. Our infographics break down how things work, from roller coasters to the cities of the future, in a way that is easy to read and share. They make good starting points for lessons and for anyone curious about how engineering shapes the world. Teachers are welcome to use them in class, and each one links to the careers behind the topic.
- [Innovation](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/innovation): New products, ideas and ways of working from engineers in the UK and around the world. These stories look at how innovations are designed and tested, and the skills of the teams behind them. Each one links to the type of engineering involved and how to get into it. If you like the idea of inventing things for a living, they are a good place to start exploring.
- [Manufacturing](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/manufacturing): How things get made: factories, robots, 3D printing and the supply chains behind everything from cars to vaccines. Our manufacturing news covers the engineering that turns designs into products, and how automation and new materials are changing it. Each article points to the careers involved, many of which start with an apprenticeship, and to the guides on manufacturing and automation engineering.
- [Opportunities](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/opportunities): Competitions, work experience, summer schools, scholarships and events for students interested in engineering. We share opportunities open to young people in the UK, including who can apply, what it costs and how to apply before the deadline. They are a good way to try engineering out, add to a CV or personal statement, and meet people already working in the field. For a full list sorted by deadline, see the opportunities finder.
- [Space](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/space): Rockets, satellites, Moon missions and the telescopes looking back to the start of the universe. Our space news explains the engineering behind launches and missions, including the growing UK space industry. Every story links to the jobs behind it, from aerospace and electronic engineers to software and systems roles, so you can see how to work in space yourself. We also cover the companies and universities in the UK that design and test spacecraft.

## Resource Types
- [Careers guides](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resource-type/careers-guides)
- [Classroom](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resource-type/classroom)
- [Featured](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resource-type/featured)
- [For parents](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resource-type/for-parents)
- [For students](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resource-type/for-students)
- [Top lists](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resource-type/top-lists)

## Start here

- [Engineering resources](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources): Free careers guides, classroom toolkits and lists for students, teachers and parents.
- [Classroom toolkits](https://www.borntoengineer.com/stem-classroom-toolkits): Lesson resources by age group (KS3 to post-16) on fusion, combustion, electricity, biomedical engineering and more.
- [The different types of engineering](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/the-different-types-of-engineering-and-their-career-paths-explained): Civil, electrical and electronic, chemical and mechanical engineering: the work, specialisms and routes in.
- [University, vocational or apprenticeship?](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/university-vocational-or-apprenticeship): Comparing the routes into engineering in the UK.
- [Engineering competitions](https://www.borntoengineer.com/resources/engineering-competitions): Competitions and challenges for UK students aged 7 to 19.
- [Engineering films](https://www.borntoengineer.com/video): Short films of engineers talking about their work.
- [Engineering news](https://www.borntoengineer.com/news/latest): Engineering and technology news explained for young people.