Queen awards inaugural Prize for Engineering to Web founder Sir Tim Berners Lee
BAE Systems is a founding donor of the Prize. Dick Olver, chairman, said: "The UK workforce requires specialised engineering skills, particularly in high-tech sectors, to drive innovation and deliver growth. I very much hope the Queen Elizabeth prize is a catalyst to do just that." Today the Daily Telegraph on-line has published an opinion piece on engineering by Dick.
Lord Browne of Madingley, the Chair of Trustees for the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering said: “Today is an auspicious day for engineering. The winners are being recognised at the highest level for their world-changing achievements, and they should be held up as role models for what young people can achieve with a career in engineering.
“Engineering is one of the UK’s highest paid professions, and it is the foundation of economic growth. Yet nine out of 10 young people give up maths and sciences at the age of 16, depriving themselves and society of the benefits that a career in engineering brings.
“A solution to this shortage of engineers is within our grasp. UK universities offer world-class engineering courses, with the capacity to accept many more students. And thanks to the Queen Elizabeth Prize, engineering is experiencing a renaissance in public life. Today, engineering will receive the recognition that it so richly deserves, and I hope that this historic occasion will inspire young people to become the engineers of tomorrow.”
