Bechtel Inspires School Children to ‘Dream Big’ About Careers in Engineering

LONDON, June 21, 2017 /3BL Media/ -- Bechtel, a global leader in engineering, procurement, and construction, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), and the University of Bath are hosting the first international finals of FIRST® LEGO® League, a global robotics competition designed to encourage schoolchildren to take up careers in engineering and technology.  More than 700 children aged 9-16 representing 36 countries worldwide will battle it out in the FIRST® LEGO® League International Open Championship 2017 from 21-24 June, being held in the UK for the first time. The four-day STEM challenge will include the European premiere of the Bechtel-sponsored 3D film, ‘Dream Big, Engineering Our World’ which narrates some of the most extraordinary engineering feats around the globe.

“Bechtel has partnered with programs like FIRST® LEGO® League and Dream Big to help young people understand the fantastic careers available to engineers and the impact that engineering can have on people’s lives, the environment, economies and communities,” said Paul Gibbs, Bechtel’s UK Managing Director. “Our global partnerships on STEM-focused programs inspire the next-generation STEM workforce in an exciting and inclusive way. We are thrilled that the tournament coincides with International Women in Engineering Day on 23 June, giving us an opportunity to further discuss the importance of diversity in engineering.”

Bechtel is committed to a gender-diverse work environment and increasing the number of female engineers. In the UK, 16% of the company’s engineers are women, nearly double the UK average, while on its Crossrail project, 30% of Bechtel’s engineers are female. The company fosters equality through mentoring, unconscious-bias training, and showcasing the wealth of opportunities that a career in engineering can offer everyone. In 2015, Bechtel was awarded Diverse Employer of the Year by Women in Science and Engineering and in 2016, two of its female engineers were included in the UK’s Top 50 Women in Engineering list.

Learn more about Bechtel’s commitment to STEM: 

• Bechtel’s Signature Programs
• Bechtel encourages students to Dream Big
• FIRST LEGO League International Open Championship website
• Bechtel’s award-winning film, “The Engineering Machine"

ABOUT BECHTEL
Bechtel is one of the most respected global engineering, construction, and project management companies. Together with our customers, we deliver landmark projects that foster long-term progress and economic growth. Since 1898, we’ve completed more than 25,000 extraordinary projects across 160 countries on all seven continents. We operate through four global businesses: Infrastructure; Nuclear, Security & Environmental; Oil, Gas & Chemicals; and Mining & Metals. Our company and our culture are built on more than a century of leadership and a relentless adherence to our values, the core of which are safety, quality, ethics, and integrity. These values are what we believe, what we expect, what we deliver, and what we live.  www.bechtel.com