Her maker’s voice - Dr Hayaatun Sillem Dr Hayaatun Sillem, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering, discusses the importance of inspiring tomorrow’s engineers. The process of engineering brings together many different crafts and skills that we should treasure – and as we can see from the Clocktime initiative it is at the heart of clock and watchmaking. John Harrison constructed his elegant portable clocks to enable sailors to determine their longitude at sea and navigate their position – those clocks had to be accurate to within three seconds a day. In the modern equivalent, today’s engineers are developing quantum sensors with an accuracy of one second in 30 billion years! Our ability to determine time with ever-increasing precision underpins modern life. Global satellite navigation systems, the internet and utility infrastructures all rely on the accurate timing signals provided by atomic clocks, with transport infrastructures and logistics, safety-of-life critical systems and even global financial transactions increasingly demanding better timing accuracy. The artisanal makers paved the way for mass production and the rapid advances we have seen in timing and navigation. The Clocktime website is a valuable reminder of the importance of engineering skills, something that is obviously close to our hearts at the Academy. It should also remind us of the importance of practical skills, particularly in a world where careers are becoming more fluid and young people need a portfolio of abilities. The long-established conveyor belt of school, college or university is morphing as people are more likely to have multiple chapters to their careers, with upgrading of skills becoming more important than ever. Our digital This is Engineering campaign aims to inspire teenagers from all backgrounds to become engineers, and highlights the huge variety of opportunities available within the engineering profession. We aim to inspire more young people, from the broadest possible backgrounds, to take up a career in our profession and more than a million young people have told us they will consider a career in engineering after viewing our films. I’m delighted to see such an unusual and creative project being made available online to a global audience. Thank you for compiling such a visually rich and contemporary educational resource.
