Design and Technology has a tremendous impact on society as a whole. For example:
- Design can help by making it easier to live up to our aspirations: by making stairs a more accessible and enticing option than escalators, for example, or creating open spaces where people want to gather instead of being trapped in their cubicles. By design and making everyday objects to improve the interactions we have and the environment we live around and within, design literally changes the world.
- Humans use Technology to travel, to communicate, to learn, to do business and to live in comfort
- Engineering Careers are important to the growth of the low carbon economy. The Department for Energy and Climate Change estimates that the renewable energy sector alone could create 500,000 new jobs by 2020.
Demand
The developing world is in desperate need for students and graduates with great strengths in its engineering, design and technology sectors.
The demand for professional engineers, technologists and designers who can come up with creative ideas and implement cost effective solutions is constantly increasing. Do you fancy being a world leader in one of the following areas?
- energy/environment
- nuclear engineering
- fashion
- petroleum engineering
- nanotechnology and biotechnology
- product design
- telecommunications
- aerospace, space technology and exploration
- civil engineering
- robotics
- biomedical engineering
- creative industries
- automotive industry (low carbon vehicle development in particular).
Skills you can develop
As well as the specific knowledge gained from studying Design and Technology, you’ll develop many transferable and work-related skills that are highly valued by employers and which will increase your employability, for example-
- solving problems with creative and innovative strategies
- being logical and pragmatic, interested in the process necessary for a concept to become a product
- having the ability to design and develop economically viable products
- being conscious of global social, cultural and environmental issues in relation to engineering and technology
- attention to detail, numeracy and high levels of computer literacy
- being effective communicators, capable of team working and able to take on responsibility.
- communicating design outputs using appropriate forms of representation
- recognising and integrating the expertise of others when designing
- being independent and self-motivated, and managing your workload to meet deadlines
- making use of appropriate online environments for the purpose of research, communication and learning, both individually and collaboratively.
Engineering, Technology and Design continue to be at the heart of wealth-generating industries, particularly with increasing developments in and focus on urban design, sustainability, digital and mobile technology.
Well trained engineers are in demand for projects abroad and as employees of international firms.
If you haven’t guessed it by now, jobs in the engineering, Design and Technology fields are some of the most prestigious and well paid jobs in the world… it all starts by studying Design and Technology!
Year 7 Design and Technology 