In this episode, we take the podcast on the road to Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) and talk with YouTube stalwarts Brothers Make, Louise Dennis, Curator at MoDiP (Museum of Design in Plastics) and Will Strange, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader (Sustainable Design) at AUB. The podcast was recorded on February 5th in the main lecture theatre at the university with an audience comprising AUB students and lecturers and students and their D&T teacher from a local school.

In this episode, we stray from the show's normal format as the Brothers Make take us on their journey from school to how an initial desire to "hang out together after work" has become something of a YouTube hit that now takes them worldwide as they seek to inform others on how to replicate their sustainable practices and success.

Louise describes how an initial desire to join the army instead turned into a passion for design and museum curation. Louise brought some artefacts from the museum to the podcast, and we have included a link to photographs of these items here: https://www.designtechnology.org.uk/for-education/media-video-and-podcasts/podcasts/live-at-arts-university-bournemouth/

Last but not least, Will will discuss the details of an exciting new course in sustainable design that will be offered at AUB for the first time this summer.

You will also hear questions from the audience at the end of the podcast (including one that had his teacher sitting uncomfortably as it was answered)! So sit back and enjoy Designed for Life - Live from Arts University Bournemouth.

Growing up with a love of mathematics, Titi thought a career as a maths teacher was beckoning until a conversation with one of her sister's friends opened up the possibility of becoming an engineer. A comment that stood out for me in this conversation was her sister's friend's statement, "You don't have to love chemistry or be brilliant at it to become a chemical engineer." It's not exactly the career advice we might all expect, but it's accurate nonetheless.

Titi is a chartered engineer with experience providing safety assurance, risk and reliability management expertise for various engineering systems and major projects in the hydrogen, energy and transportation industries. She holds a first-class undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos. Nigeria and a Masters degree in Advanced Chemical Engineering (Process Systems Engineering specialisation) from Imperial College London.

Titi is passionate about promoting and changing misconceptions about the engineering profession and is always eager to contribute to efforts to celebrate engineering excellence and make engineering more accessible and appealing to people from diverse backgrounds.

In this podcast, you will hear Titi's journey from school to an engineering degree at a university in Lagos. She will discuss how she has carefully planned her career experiences to ensure she develops as a rounded engineer with experience across a range of sectors and how she is slowly learning to become more comfortable being labelled a 'role model' for future engineers.

This is a great way to start 2025 on Designed for Life, so for the first time this year, get those headphones active and listen to Designed for Life in conversation with Titi Oliyide.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/titi-oliyide
https://engineertiti.com/

Somehow, another year has passed, and it's time to look back on Designed for Life across 2024. Over the year, we released sixteen new episodes, reached over 31,000 streams, reached new audiences in Asia and America and, most importantly, got to speak with some amazing and inspiring guests.

In this end-of-year episode, we look back and have selected clips from a range of conversations, including fashion and textile expert Amanda Riley, AUB lecturer and modelmaker Claire Holman, Denimolite founder and designer Josh Myers, Marloe watch co-founder and designer Gordon Fraser, Pipsqueak founder and owner Nick Ford, Head of Learning and Development at UKBIC Jonty Deeley Williamson and last (but not least) Greenpower CEO Barnabas Shelbourne.

I have tried to pick clips that stood out over the year and have hopefully combined these into a reflective podcast that epitomises our mission at the Design and Technology Association to better connect the worlds of business and education.

So one last time in 2024, get those earbuds in, grab the dog for a walk, take us to the gym or pull up a chair and grab some 'me time' as you listen to Designed for Life wrapped 2024.

With sincere thanks to The Edge Foundation, who first joined us in the autumn of 2024 and have assisted the podcast's journey to this stage, without your help and support, this would not have been possible.

We look forward to new adventures in 2025.

Imagine accidentally being put off from a career in engineering by your brilliant grandfather who, without realising, made a career in the sector sound unreachable. Hepzi Rattray is a structural engineer with the global engineering company Ramboll, but for many years, she attempted to avoid following this career trajectory.

In this penultimate podcast of 2024, we follow Hepzi's journey from school, where she turned down the offer of a top private school to attend Lady Margaret's, a church-state school in Parsons Green, West London. Some unexpected AS results forced something of a rethink and pointed her towards a somewhat unique engineering degree at Glasgow University.

Even as Hepzi progressed through the course, she was still uncertain if this was the career for her. Her mind finally made up when she undertook a placement at Ramboll, and everything finally dropped into place.

In this conversation, you will hear Hepzi's passion for her work, the strong relationship between engineering and her other passion, music, and why she is determined to use her position to inspire others into the profession.

So pull up a chair, grab a drink and a mince pie (there must be one left), and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Structural Engineer Hepzi Rattray.

https://www.ramboll.com/

Thanks as always go to The Edge Foundation for their unwavering support that makes this podcast possible.

Barnabas is the CEO of The Greenpower Education Trust. This charity works with young people nationally to introduce them to using their STEM education in a very practical way to create battery-driven vehicles that then compete in regional and national heats.

Having experienced 'Greenpower' as a teacher, headteacher, and now as CEO of the Design & Technology Association, I was desperate to get behind the scenes with its new CEO and explore the people and passion that make Greenpower so compelling to so many students (and their parents nationally).

In this podcast, we follow Barnabas through school in Surrey and a challenging home situation that at least partly defined his early years. I should warn listeners that this episode talks very frankly about depression, mental illness and suicide, so please exercise caution before listening. That said, I cannot thank Barnabas enough for his honesty in the interview; our experiences help define us and the genuine, hard-working and empathetic CEO that he is today is a result of his life experiences to date.

We follow his journey to America, where he took time to learn about himself and found a faith that has helped to drive him since.

He returns home to a succession of jobs that indirectly and almost accidentally lead to a career in Youth work that has recently segwayed into running Greenpower Education Trust.

I loved this conversation, and I know you will too, so sit back, put the headphones on, pour something nice to drink and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Barnabas Shelbourne.

https://www.greenpower.co.uk/
https://www.hfehmind.org.uk/home/help-now/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiOGF6J-ligMV5opQBh1sIy9KEAAYAiAAEgK9JfD_BwE

In this episode, we turn to Food and Nutrition in the school curriculum and look at the challenges facing this aspect of National Curriculum education. Over the last few weeks, I have been fortunate to be introduced to Leith's Education and walked through their curriculum resources from KS1 to Post 16 (and extracurricular). These come at a cost (see below), but having seen them, I believe these are resources that every school should at least consider. See https://leiths.com/

We also discuss how Leith's has partnered with Roehampton University to create a new PGCE course aimed at increasing the number of teachers qualifying in this area over the coming years. Alongside this, there is a Level 7 course suitable for those perhaps without a degree but with life experience and other qualifications that can assist their pathway into teaching.

Leith's Education has supplied the following information:

Leiths Education has been working with schools for over 25 years and has grown from the renowned culinary school founded by Prue Leith in 1975. Its work is all about helping schools deliver exceptional cookery teaching for children and young people of all ages.

Food education faces significant challenges with steadily reducing numbers of specialist teachers in secondary schools, few practical cookery lessons in primary schools, and insufficient facilities and equipment in many schools. To help reverse these trends, Leiths has teamed up with the University of Roehampton to introduce two new national qualifications to help fast-track the recruitment and training of food teachers.

For more information, visit https://leiths.com/explore/professional-development/

Course costs (for more details, please see Leith's Education website).

Registration Fee
Only for schools delivering the below accredited and life skills cookery courses
Leiths Education Standard Package £3,250
Accredited courses - a total of 3 visits over the duration of the course
Life Skills courses - a total of 2 visits over the duration of the course

Cookalong Courses
Per annum subscription, no limit on student numbers (no registration fee required)
Leiths Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Curriculum £395
Leiths Key Stage 3 Curriculum £595
Leiths Co-Curricular Cookery £595

Student Assessment Fees
Payable per student, this fee covers all course-specific costs
Accredited Cookery Courses
Leiths CTH Level 3 Extended Certificate in Professional Cookery £545
Leiths CTH Level 2 Certificate in Culinary Skills £345

So sit back and enjoy Designed for Life in conversation with Maria Dunbar, Director of Education at Leith's Education.

Thanks, as always, to the Edge Foundation for their continued support of Designed for Life.

In this week’s episode of Designed for Life, we are fortunate to speak with Dr Hilary Leevers, the Chief Executive of Engineering UK.

We break from the usual show format to explore some of the data surrounding entry to engineering as a profession and discuss Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, which this year runs from November 11th to 15th.

EngineeringUK drives change so that more young people choose engineering and technology careers. You can join us by getting involved in Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2024. This annual celebration is dedicated to showcasing the amazing work that engineers do and inspiring young people to explore careers in engineering. It’s an exciting opportunity for schools, teachers and industry professionals to come together and make a real impact.

Want to get involved? You can find everything you need to participate in this year’s events, including activities, resources, and ways to engage, by visiting the official website: www.eukeducation.org.uk/teweek

Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Be part of the buzz on social media by using the hashtag #TEWeek24. Check out all the resources and prepare for a week packed with inspiration and innovation!

This is a wide-ranging conversation around all entry routes to engineering as a career I know you will find interesting (engaging education and industry colleagues alike). So sit back, put those headphones in and listen to Designed for Life in conversation with Dr Hilary Leevers.

Thanks as always to The Edge Foundation for their continued support of Designed for Life.

Talk about battery power and people's attention automatically turns to electric vehicles, but in reality, this is one sector of a rapidly growing market. With this growth, there is an increasing need for young people to enter the sector and help design and make the power plants of the future.

In this episode, we talk with Jonty Deely Williamson, who heads up learning and development at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC)

Previously a science teacher, he has worked in Learning & Development for more than a decade in the rail construction, high-speed rail, food manufacturing and battery manufacturing sectors.

Working on various projects including the Elizabeth line, HS2 skill development, installation of a new food manufacturing line, and supporting skills from operatives to directors, his role at UKBIC is to develop battery manufacturing skills and training courses at all levels for the UK.

UKBIC is a key part of the UK government-funded Faraday Battery Challenge, which has been delivered by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, with the aim of building a high-tech, high-value, high-skill battery industry in the UK.

So sit back, grab 50 minutes to yourself and enjoy Designed for Life, in conversation with Jonty Deeley Williamson.

Thanks as always to The Edge Foundation for making these conversations possible.