London Transport Museum

Introducing the next generation to the world of transport

The transport industry is in desperate need of skilled staff. Yet, many young people simply don’t know about the range of exciting the careers on offer in the field. The London Transport Museum has set about tackling the quandary. They already have an ‘Enjoyment to Employment’ programme which inspires children to take steps toward a career in STEM or transport. In 2021, we awarded a grant of £36,538 for the museum to research, design and pilot an ‘Inspire Engineering Careers’ programme for 14 to 18 year olds.

74% of teachers say employability skills are now the most important way to improve pupils’ career prospects.
90% of pupils who took part in the London Transport Museum’s Key Stage 3 Inspire Engineering session have a positive view of engineering (compared to the Engineering Brand Monitor baseline of 50%).
The London Transport Museum’s Inspire Engineering Careers programme aims to reach more than 1,000 young people a year through live employability sessions, and many thousands more through free online resources.

Bringing careers in transport to life

The young people involved in the programme will undertake a project in school dealing with a real-world problem related to transport. They will also get employability and personal effectiveness support through one-to-one mentoring, as well live employability sessions and opportunities to meet transport and engineering professionals. The programme will also include visits to the London Transport Museum, with activities inspired by the collections that bring transport careers to life.

Our grant will also fund a comprehensive evaluation of the programme, which will lead to resources being developed for other students across the country to help improve their skills and confidence. We’re proud ro be part of a project that reduces the impact of the pandemic on young people’s career prospects, while helping to address the transport industry’s skills and staffing challenge.

“We are delighted to support the London Transport Museum with their ‘Inspire Engineering Careers’ pilot. We are confident the London Transport Museum will design and deliver an innovative and meaningful programme which will inspire young people to pursue a career in STEM and the transport industry.”

Sharika Alam, Grants Assistant, Kusuma Trust