EDT - The Engineering Development Trust
Connecting young people, educators, partners and employers across the UK
EDT are a nationwide educational charity set up over 35 years ago engaging young people through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) focused experience days, projects and placements. We help young people develop the STEM skills, knowledge and experience they need to take control of their futures and change the world around them.
Our Industrial Cadets accredited programmes and awards provide opportunities through education to employment, aiming to give students aged 9-21 across the UK access to an Industrial Cadets programme, which provides them with the opportunity to develop critical skills for a career in STEM.
We offer experiences designed to raise awareness, and inform young people how STEM is relevant, interesting and leads to a rewarding career. Throughout the experiences, young people have the opportunity to work on hands-on challenges, work towards the nationally recognised Industrial Cadets accreditation whilst interacting with STEM professionals and educators. We strive to ensure that all young people can access these opportunities and financial support is available for those who need it.
Young people will be inspired and...
- gain insight into all things STEM
- progress with making choices and follow a pathway to their dream career
- achieve an Industrial Cadets accreditation
Teachers can be assured...
- that our full range of experiences meet the Gatsby benchmarks
- that our experiences fully support and enhance the career programme in school
Partners/Employers - get involved to...
- strengthen skills within your team through mentor training and continued professional development.
- raise your community profile and build links with schools and colleges
- inspire young people and contribute towards creating a talent pipeline for your business
- improve social mobility by delivering quality experiences to potential employees of the future
- ensure education outreach aligns with the Employer Standards
With industry and partner support, we aim to create a proficient future workforce, by delivering quality programmes, helping to develop skills and raise awareness of STEM careers
INDUSTRIAL CADETS
School & Student Programmes
EXPERIENCES, PROJECTS AND PLACEMENTS
At EDT we believe every young person should have the chance to embrace STEM opportunities. In collaboration with industry and educational partners we have developed the Industrial Cadets portfolio and pathway of programmes to help students access STEM learning and experience the world of work.
Industrial Cadets is an industry-led quality benchmark for STEM educational programmes to build pathways through education to employment. Students receive accreditation (certificates and badge) upon completion of a pathway, which is a great addition to their CV. There are five levels of Industrial Cadets:
EDT Experiences - Ages 9 - 18
EDT experiences show young people how STEM is relevant, interesting and can lead to a range of rewarding careers. Through EDT experiences including Challenger Days, Routes Into STEM and Insight into University, young people work on hands-on challenges and interact with STEM professionals and educators.
EDT Projects - Ages 13 - 17
EDT Industrial Cadets Bronze and Gold projects engage young people in real-life STEM challenges, mentored by industry professionals. Students develop core STEM and employability skills including project management, communication, team-working, time management, presentation, report writing and more.
EDT Placements - Ages 17 +
Year in Industry placements are for post A-Level/ Higher/ Advanced Higher or equivalent school leavers and undergraduate students looking for professional development within the STEM industry. Students complete a 10 to 12-month paid work placement within their intended career sector. Placements are available for all areas of STEM, as well as business and finance.
Alongside EDT's Industrial Cadets accredited programmes, we also work with companies to accredit their own educational outreach activities. In 2021/22 academic year, we worked with 36 partners and accredited 67 new programmes enabling thousands more students to achieve their Industrial Cadets awards.
