LEEA pilots hands-on STEM Education Programme for schools
The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) announced during GLAD2025 that it has conducted an inaugural STEM education pilot programme designed to spark curiosity, develop skills, and open eyes to exciting career opportunities in lifting and engineering.
Developed with specialist STEM educators and engineers at Tablet Academy, this practical and interactive programme brings real-world lifting and engineering concepts into the classroom.
The pilot programme included eight 2.5-hour interactive workshops delivered to more than 250 students across four schools, where they designed, built and operated lifting equipment using Sphero Blueprint kits. This saw students develop practical skills in physics, engineering, teamwork, communication and problem solving. They also explored how lifting operations contribute to global safety and efficiency, connecting classroom learning to real-world industry practice.
Among the key impacts from the pilot, 85% of students said that they knew more about the Lifting Industry as a result of the workshop and 68% said they might or would now consider a career in the industry. An impressive 87% enjoyed the workshop, with their favourite parts being building the cranes and the elements that went into it, working as a team with their classmates and testing their crane design on the competition mat.
LEEA CEO Dr Ross Moloney said: “The Pilot Programme has shown that targeted STEM engagement works. Students leave with a greater understanding of our industry, increased interest in lifting careers and new skills that our future workforce will need.
“To secure the future of the lifting industry, we must start with the next generation. This Pilot Programme was created to do just that – introducing school pupils to the real-world impact of lifting and engineering through hands-on learning. Bringing industry concepts into classrooms sparks curiosity, builds vital skills and showcases meaningful career opportunities. As our industry faces growing skills gaps and an ageing workforce, early engagement has never been more important. But this is just the beginning.
“With the pilot complete and the impact clear, we’re now looking to scale this programme and bring it to more young people. We need the support of LEEA members and industry partners to make that happen by working with their local schools and communities to hold these workshops and by donating the Sphero Blueprint Build kits. This isn't just about corporate social responsibility, it’s building a talent pipeline for the future.”
Find out more on LEEA’s newly launched microsite at https://www.leealiftingfutures.com/stem-programme-pilot, and if you are interested in participating in the next phase of the STEM programme please contact marketing@leeaint.com.
