Junior Enginers

[peterd]

I am keen to gather information as regard the challenges and opportunities in developing and maintaining Junior sections within ME Clubs ..
Please let me have feedback good and bad on this subject . I cannot launch a one man crusade to change the world but as a 52 year old ME who started out, like many at the age of 12 finally getting a drive after much pestering 😀 Will do al I can to raise this issue and help .
Thanks

[Jo]

One of the problems with having a junior section is the need to supervise the youngsters when they operate the machine tools. I believe that our rule is their parents are responsible for supervising them... but that assumes that their parents are interested in making swarf and that they know good practise from down right dangerous stuff.

Jo

[chris vine]

Hi Peter,

I think you are onto something here. I speak to a lot of kids and families who want to get involved in Model Engineering. I usually suggest that they go along to their local club and say hello. Some clubs seem to be very welcoming to youngsters. Others less so.

Jo raises the question of supervision with machines. It is a general question of supervision at the track too.

One hears a lot of talk about red-tape, but I am not sure what the rules or guidance really is. Maybe less than people think?

Anything you can do to help the clubs would be very valuable.

Chris.

[SteveW]

Guys,
It occurs to add to the point of supervision needed for juniors in the workshop. The usual nonsense surrounding our approach to club health and safety extends agelessly across the membership. The simple result being no one is allowed to use our knackered lathe, vastly under used milling machine or drill press unless another member is present to turn them off. The net result being the facilities sit there unused.

Given modern home design and I dare say retirement accommodation access to any necessary machinery is only going to get more difficult making access to club resources even more problematic if solo operation is deemed 'DANGEROUS' for all ages.

[chris vine]

Hi Guys,

I suggested Peter move this thread to the General Chat part. He will get quicker feedback that way, and so will be able to do more to help.

Chris.

[pannierjohn]

Hi Peter,
I write a regular page for Young Engineers in Engineering in Miniature magazine and as Chris Vine correctly states the welcome to young people at model engineering clubs can be a totally mixed bag. I am a member of a successful club who have a good young engineer section. Current projects for the juniors include a 7 1/4" gauge loco built from scratch, a 5" gauge one and a number of associated projects as well as all the general club activities like operating the signal box, guarding duties, and maintenance. It can be done but it takes a lot of hard work and the support of the club to do it.
If you are serious about getting involved with a model engineering club to promote a Junior section get in touch with me at the magazine and I can offer a number of ideas you might like to try.
Hope this is useful.
John A
EIM

[Cro]

Dec 12, 2016 16:32:52 GMT pannierjohn said:

Hi Peter,
I write a regular page for Young Engineers in Engineering in Miniature magazine and as Chris Vine correctly states the welcome to young people at model engineering clubs can be a totally mixed bag. I am a member of a successful club who have a good young engineer section. Current projects for the juniors include a 7 1/4" gauge loco built from scratch, a 5" gauge one and a number of associated projects as well as all the general club activities like operating the signal box, guarding duties, and maintenance. It can be done but it takes a lot of hard work and the support of the club to do it.
If you are serious about getting involved with a model engineering club to promote a Junior section get in touch with me at the magazine and I can offer a number of ideas you might like to try.
Hope this is useful.
John A
EIM

Nice to see you here John. You have done some great work promoting young people into the hobby and although I'm older than this may be aimed at I'm still part of the young fraternity within the hobby and John has been a great supporter in what I am trying to do.

If there was ever the need to inspire younger people into the hobby by showing them the use of modern technology mixed with traditional ME practice I'd be more than happy to help out.

Adam

[peterd]

Hi John , I have followed your articles for some time
Now and massively impressed with your ability to reach out and highlight the successes of young engineers .
My goal is to cement a more strategic plan to engauge young engineers at all levels ..
I would like to see some guidance from the S and N Fed on the issues and challanges of legal requirements and to clarify these to avoid any issues of ME clubs using it an excuse to not engauge ..
I am very keen to chat with you on this issue and will make contact via the ME ..

BR Peter