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Education and Skills Strategy Board

The Education and Skills Strategy Board is responsible for overseeing IMechE’s response to and engagement in education and skills.

Key objectives and purpose

Goal 1. is to inspire, engage, support and influence pupils, students, teachers, careers professionals, academics, parents, education outreach stakeholders, and our profession with the aim of growing and diversifying the engineering talent pipeline.

Objective 1. The IMechE to be a leading PEI that influences, enables and provides, where appropriate, high quality, inclusive, relevant, and engaging outreach activities, engineering student/apprenticeship competitions, careers materials, STEM kits, and work experience, which acknowledge our sector priorities and delivering training and development to members and volunteers to enhance success and impact.

Goal 2. is to influence government, education, business, and other policymakers to recognise the contributions and potential of engineering to society, and to bring about change in the education, skills and CPD systems. The aim being to grow and diversify the engineering talent pipeline and workforce and equipping them with the education and skills needed to respond to society’s challenges.

Objective 2. The IMechE to be regarded as thought leaders and a trusted partner, working in collaboration with other PEIs, Learned Societies, education and skills providers, business, governments, and other stakeholders to influence and shape education and skills policy and in doing so secure a sustainable and diverse stream of talent into and through the profession meeting society’s current and future skills needs.

ESSB members

Role Name
Chair Professor Helen James OBE CEng FIMechE
Vice Chair Dr Christian Young MIMechE
International Strategy Board Representative Professor Vinesh Thiruchelvam CEng FIMechE
Regional Strategy Board Representative Howard Jones CEng MIMechE
Technical Strategy Board Representative  
Trustee Board Representative Richard Judge CEng FIMechE
Qualifications & Membership Board Representative  Professor Fred Maillardet CEng FIMechE 
 Regional Education Officer’s Representative Dr Robert Rayner CEng MIMechE 
Regional Education Officer, Representing Northern Ireland  Professor Margaret Morgan CEng FIMechE 
 Regional Education Officer, Representing Wales Ronald Faulkner CEng MIMechE
 Regional Education Officer, Representing Scotland  John Blacklock CEng FIMechE
 MOD Representative  Wing Commander Mark Robinson CEng FIMechE
 Co-Opted Member John Lowe BEM CEng FIMechE 
 Co-Opted Member Andrew Medd CEng FIMechE 
Co-Opted Member  Chris Mellows 
 Co-Opted Member  David Williamson CEng FIMechE

Ask a question

Please feel free to reach out to the ESSB members directly.

Annual Student Events

Education and Skills

Discover more about our education partners, volunteer roles and resources.

Annual Student Events

Annual Student Events

Formula Student, Design, UAS, Railway, and Apprentice Automation Challenges.