The Government’s Year of Engineering campaign has teamed up with iconic comic brand Marvel, to launch a set of fun educational resources to help KS2 students aged 7-11 identify the super hero qualities needed to solve the global challenges we face.
And it features a wealth of inspiration for keeping kids busy and entertained over the Christmas Holidays.
The exciting new More Heroes Needed Marvel resources, which feature iconic favourites such as The Hulk, Black Panther, The Wasp and Iron Man can be found in the schools hub of the Year of Engineering website at www.yearofengineering.gov.uk/lesson-ideas and include:
§ An aptitude test that helps young people identify which super hero they share the most aptitudes with, and how these would suit a career in engineering
§ Real life super hero case studies featuring the aspirational stories of engineers
§ A curriculum linked lesson to facilitate teachers running the super hero session including a fun classroom activity with role play challenges
The free Marvel resources aim to challenge engineering stereotypes, encourage a re-evaluation of gender roles in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) careers and showcase to young people that they have what it takes to be real world super hero engineers, playing a vital role in tackling complex global issues.
By taking the super hero aptitude test and then playing the role play activities, young people are encouraged to identify and practice the skills and talents they share with their favourite super heroes that would also make them the engineers of tomorrow – skills such as resilience, resourcefulness, collaboration and curiosity.
Nusrat Ghani, Minister for the Year of Engineering said: “The characters who inhabit the Marvel universe are 
famed for achieving amazing things against all odds; something engineers do on a daily basis.
“Whether it’s tackling the problems of climate change, helping to provide clean water and energy in developing nations or using technology to help us live healthier, more independent lives, the engineering profession is full of its very own super heroes.
“I’m certain these resources will encourage many young people to look again at their own amazing abilities and realise that, while they may never possess the strength of The Hulk, they could one day move mountains as an engineer.”
Since the start of 2018, the government has worked with more than 1,400 partners from Apple and LEGO, to FIFA and The Science Museum to help young people take a closer look at engineering. The aim of the campaign is to encourage more young people from a wider range of backgrounds to discover the opportunities offered by engineering careers.
Over the course of 2018 young people have been engaging with a varied range of Year of Engineering free and exciting events, resources and challenges. Research carried out after the first six months of the campaign shows the percentage of 7-11 year olds who would consider a career in engineering has increased by a significant 36 per cent since 2017.
The new Marvel More Heroes Needed test is part of a wide range of free resources for teachers and parents on the Year of Engineering website, which also features a wealth of inspiration for keeping kids busy and entertained over the Christmas Holidays. For more super hero inspiration go to: www.yearofengineering.gov.uk/schools or www.yearofengineering.gov.uk/activitieszone
