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“Are we abandoning an industry responsible for 6% of our GDP?” asked our great friend and UKESF Trustee Neil Dickins in his recent IC Resources blog post.
In his post, Neil put forward a passionate argument that we need more young people in the UK pursuing careers in the sector in order to maintain our position as a global economic leader in Electronics. This ‘economic’ case for Electronics is one that I have made myself, many times, in the past. Undoubtedly, it is a compelling, rational, ‘left brain’ argument to ‘do something’ and to support our work at the UKESF. There is also a ‘right brain’, emotional, argument.
The recently published 2019 report by Tech Nation states that the “outcomes of tech impact on the environment, communities, health, education mobility and transport”. We know that Electronics is the fundamental bedrock of ‘tech’; indeed, without Electronics there would be no tech. The Tech Nation report lists the things that are enabled by technology; this includes:
freedom of expression, human advancement, application of knowledge, and modernity.
These are really big, powerful, concepts. They are all linked to doing good and improving people’s lives – emotionally as well as physically. So, as well as our economic wellbeing as a nation, Electronics is needed for the ‘good of our society’.
A career in Electronics offers the opportunity to make a difference, both to people’s lives and to our planet as a whole. Therefore, whether you are a left-brain or right-brain thinker, supporting the work of the UKESF should be a ‘no-brainer’.
How?
We are promoting the simple message: Technology is our Future; Technology depends upon Electronics through our #TurnOnToElectronics campaign. Therefore, please watch and share the campaign video and download the manifesto by visiting turnontoelectronics.org or follow @TOTElectronics.
We are also working to provide hands-on Electronics experiences to schoolchildren, as part of their computing and physics lessons. As Neil says:
“A taste of Electronics that may well ignite a passion or spark an interest that will last a lifetime or even many lifetimes.”
We provide classroom sets of Electronics boards and essential training for teachers. However, we need your support to reach more schools, right across the UK. Find out how to support our campaign here.
We are promoting the simple message: Technology is our Future; Technology depends upon Electronics
