Engineering Matters
#366 Diversity & Inclusion Champion – Engineering Matters Awards
Why It Matters
With a projected shortage of millions of STEM jobs by 2030, early exposure and inclusive representation are critical to building a future workforce. Naismith’s approach demonstrates a scalable, affordable way for teachers and parents to inspire the next generation, making the episode especially relevant for educators, policymakers, and anyone concerned about the talent pipeline in technology and engineering.
Key Takeaways
- •UK STEM shortage costs economy £1.5 billion yearly (~$1.9 billion)
- •Stuart Naismith creates low‑cost experiments for classrooms worldwide
- •Channel features diverse engineers, inspiring children to pursue STEM careers
- •Gender‑neutral language reduces bias, encourages girls into tech fields
- •Pandemic sparked STEM with Mr N, now six‑year channel success
Pulse Analysis
The United Kingdom faces a critical STEM talent gap, with 9.4 million people employed in STEM roles yet a persistent shortage that costs the economy roughly £1.5 billion each year (about $1.9 billion). As industries accelerate, the pipeline leaks: children abandon maths and science before university, and by age seven many begin ruling out technical careers. Closing this gap requires early, engaging exposure, not boardroom pledges, but classroom experiences that make abstract concepts tangible and spark lasting curiosity. Investing in such outreach can reclaim billions of potential productivity.
Stuart Naismith, a primary teacher turned YouTube educator, answered that need with ‘STEM with Mr N’. Launched during COVID, the channel delivers low‑cost experiments using household items—spaghetti bridges, static‑balloon cans—and a weekly series of STEM career interviews featuring engineers from NASA to renewable energy firms. The videos are short, free, and subtitled, allowing teachers worldwide to integrate them into lessons. By showcasing diverse professionals, the series demonstrates that there is no single path into engineering, encouraging pupils to envision themselves in those roles.
Beyond experiments, Naismith stresses language as a subtle inclusion tool. Using gender‑neutral terms—‘police officer’ instead of ‘policeman’—and highlighting female and minority engineers disrupts stereotypes that cause girls to self‑exclude from tech fields. Research shows children as young as seven form career biases when they lack relatable role models. The channel’s interview roster, from Dame Sue Black to astronaut Nicole Stott, provides visible proof that engineering welcomes everyone. By combining affordable hands‑on activities with diverse storytelling, the initiative offers a scalable model for schools aiming to broaden participation and strengthen the future STEM workforce.
Episode Description
In this special Engineering Matters Awards episode, we celebrate excellence across the industry, highlighting our Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners in the Diversity & Inclusion Champion category.
Engineering suffers from a ‘leaky pipe’ problem, where a great many potential professionals count themselves out of a career long before university. It is a problem that has been clearly identified, but that the industry has long struggled to correct.
Our featured guest and Gold Winner is Stuart Naismith, primary teacher, STEM communicator, and Gold Award winner, and the creator behind STEM with Mr N, a platform bringing accessible science and real-world STEM stories to young audiences worldwide. Click the link below to find out more about Stuart’s great work.
Special thanks to our judges from Engineers Without Borders UK, and from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Guest
Stuart Naismith, STEM with Mr N
The post #366 Diversity & Inclusion Champion – Engineering Matters Awards first appeared on Engineering Matters.
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