Leading figures in engineering, London politics, local pupils, apprentices and graduates have come together for the launch of a new mobile phone app to inspire young people to find out about engineering.
The app, called ACE Trails, draws attention to the unique and remarkable engineering behind creating a place like King’s Cross. It was launched in the presence of London’s Deputy Mayor for Business and Enterprise, Kit Malthouse, the Chairman of Crossrail, Terry Morgan, and Network Rail Chief Executive, Sir David Higgins. They were joined at the launch by pupils from Hackney University Technical College who helped to product test the app in development, engineering apprentices from the Technician Apprenticeship Consortium, and recent graduates embarking on engineering careers.
Speaking at the launch, Project Manager, Jane Calvert-Lee, said: “Right across the industry there is a need to attract talented young people. We face fierce competition from other industries for the brightest students, especially as many young people don’t know how international and exciting professional engineering is when they choose what GCSEs and A-Levels to take. This app will help young people and their families find out about the engineering behind their everyday lives and what a career in engineering might look like.
The new app, which provides an augmented reality walking tour of the King’s Cross area, plays fifteen videos made by engineers describing the remarkable engineering that has gone into transforming and regenerating King’s Cross.
The app was developed by the Association for Consultancy and Engineering in partnership with eleven sponsors as part of its centenary programme to help young people to find out more about engineering as they consider their career prospects for the future.