STARTING WITH A 'BIG BANG': CICES INSPIRES TOMORROW'S SURVEYORS

0 tech, 100% engagement: 3 projects that stole the show

• Project one: Set out the perfect foundation (Engineering Surveying)
  Students became civil engineering surveyors tasked with physically marking out a perfectly square building foundation. Using only tape measures, string and pegs, they were taught the '3-4-5 rule' to construct 90-degree angles.
  A running leaderboard pitted students against the clock, and their teachers, proving how everyday geometry prevents catastrophic construction reworks and reduces material waste.

Direct from the students

Our interactive approach didn't just capture their attention - it genuinely rewired how these students view math and engineering. Here is what the next generation had to say after visiting our stand:

“I’ve learnt that before construction, the area needs to be checked by a geospatial engineer. Always measure and get a surveyor before something is built, or it might go wrong!”

“Quantity surveying uses maths, which is fine because I love maths! I learnt that this is a job I could do!”

Other feedback highlighted a clear shift in perspective: while traditional university routes have historically been the standard pathway, students now see apprenticeships as an incredibly attractive and accessible way to become future surveyors.

Q&A: Insights from behind the stand

Rachel Hames shares vital keys that unlocked this event's success...

Q: Civil engineering surveying can sound a bit daunting to someone new to the industry. What was your interactive hook to grab students’ attention as they walked past your stand?

A: We hooked the students by basing the activities around knowledge that we knew the young people would almost always already have – 90-degree angles, coordinates and the spending of money.
From one angle of the stall, the young people could see an activity involving money (which looked incredibly real) which immediately piqued their interest. From the other side, they could see a leaderboard, an activity against the clock, and a chance to compete with their friends.

Finally, they relished in their detective skills, trying to find the word hidden in among the construction site. They didn’t seem to notice that they were practically applying math skills to their activities and, when we pointed this out to them at the end, the thought of doing this as a job didn’t seem quite so out of reach. That is how we both hooked their attention initially and made a career within civil engineering surveying feel much more achievable.

Q: With thousands of young people passing through, was there a specific interaction or a brilliant question from a student that caught you off guard which resulted in something unexpected?

A: After an interaction with one student, they asked us whether this job was going to be replaced by AI and, if so, why should they pursue a career that could be filled by a robot. While we initially all found this funny, especially his impression of the robot, it really reminded me just how aware young people are of the world around them, the technological changes they are living through, and their thoughts on the redundancy of sectors when robots can replace them. I explained to the young person that they are safe with our career; surveyors are never going to be replaceable because their role is just too crucial to a project – without them, nothing can be built, or at least not built safely. He seemed very happy with this response and excited to go into such an important career.

Q: CICES members use some incredibly cool kit - from 3D laser scanners to drones and digital twins. What piece of technology or interactive demo absolutely stole the show for the kids?

A: We won their attention without it – which, arguably, is much more priceless. We had their attention fully hooked using tabletop activities. This was a credit to the enthusiasm of our team and the interactive nature of the activities.

Q: How do we / the wider industry plan to follow up on the spark so it turns into an apprenticeship or work placements down the line?

A: This is where the real challenge lies. Many would argue that targeting children aged 10 to 13 is not worth it because there can’t be a clear, trackable route to follow to see the impact of our work due to safeguarding and GDPR. However, I’m a firm believer that it’s about lighting that initial spark of curiosity. The vast majority of young people at the fair had never heard of a surveyor before and many may not think of it again immediately. However, those who took an interest can now go and speak to their peers, teachers, and parents about what they’ve learned. They can investigate what it means to be a 'Future Surveyor,' as it was printed on their sticker as well as what CICES is, because our logo is on their pencil.

It’s about having a presence, being a profession that they can actually see rather than being one they discover down the line.

Looking forward

The success of the Big Bang Fair highlights the immense power of collaboration in closing the industry's skills gap. CICES extends a massive thank you to Moira Shaftoe, who has worked closely with us as an institution and alongside our education outreach manager to bring this exhibition to life.

The event also opened doors to critical future collaborations. Promising conversations were held with representatives from the Gatsby Foundation to explore joint initiatives for showcasing engineering surveying careers. Furthermore, numerous teachers visiting the stand have already invited CICES to future school careers fairs and requested dedicated workshops to demonstrate our profession to their students.