Promoting Opportunities for UNder-represented Communities in power Electronics, machines and drives (POUNCE)

从历史上看，电力电子、机械和驱动（PEMD）行业一直被视为非常传统，广泛参与和参与的机会相对有限。这个年龄段的人口结构意味着，对于现在的学生来说，相对来说，可以接触到的榜样很少。对于那些来自代表性不足的社区的人来说尤其如此，比如BAME，那些来自高等教育部门参与度较低的地区的人，以及女性学生，她们在英国的朋友或家人在该部门工作的可能性较小。此外，作为一项基础性且往往隐藏的技术，它并不是学生的首选职业。这个项目（POUNCE）的目的是开发两个活动来支持调用目标。*第一项活动是开发在线材料，以建立这一领域的知识和专门知识，并提供相关的榜样。这些信息将免费提供，并由英国电子技能基金会和阿斯顿大学在3-5年内推广。*第二项活动是专门针对来自BAME和其他低极性背景的学生和女学生的干预，将涉及30名工程专业学生的现场活动，包括：职业指导，从需求角度设计电气系统的实践活动，与行业代表快速建立网络，以及建立LinkedIn网络小组。此次活动的一个重要特点是，由各公司选出的四名学生将有机会获得为期一周的工作体验机会。这将进一步加深学生对该行业的了解，并建立信心。这次面对面的活动将作为一项概念验证活动，未来可以扩大规模，并用于帮助中小企业和大公司参与鼓励多样性的集体招聘过程。POUNCE将以阿斯顿大学在包容性工程教育方面的卓越声誉、英国电子技能基金会在该领域的广泛行业联系和经验，以及FluxSys在该技术领域的专业知识为基础，接触不同的学生群体，并通过在线材料和试验招聘模式，提供一个有影响力的活动，该活动具有持续的可持续性，以接触代表性不足的社区。所提供的材料将解决一些更广泛的问题，其中PEMD将需要支持电气化，如智能电网的发展，电池存储和实施社会变革所需的立法，以吸引更多的工程专业学生。

Historically, the power electronics, machines and drives (PEMD) sector has been viewed as very traditional with relatively limited opportunities for wider participation and engagement. The age demographic has meant that there are relatively few accessible role models for current students. This is especially true for those that come from underrepresented communities, such as BAME, those from areas with low participation in the higher education sector and female students, who are less likely to have friends or families working in the sector in the UK. Furthermore, as an underpinning and often hidden technology, it is not an obvious first choice of career for students.The aim of this project (POUNCE) is to develop two activities to support the call goals.* The first activity is the development of online material to build knowledge and expertise in this area and to provide relevant role models. This information will be freely accessible and promoted by the UK Electronic Skills Foundation and Aston University over a 3-5 year period.* The second activity is an intervention focused specifically on students from BAME and other low polar backgrounds and female students and will involve an in-person event for 30 engineering students including: career guidance, hands on activity focused on the design of an electrical system from a requirements point of view, speed networking with industry representatives, and establishing a LinkedIn networking group. An important feature of this in-person event will be the opportunity to secure a one-week work experience opportunities offered to four students selected by the companies. This will further deepen the student's understanding of the sector and build confidence. The in-person event will serve as a proof-of-concept activity that going forward could be scaled-up and used to help SMEs and larger companies engage in a group recruitment process that encourages diversity.POUNCE will build on Aston University's excellent reputation for inclusive engineering education, the UK Electronic Skills Foundation's wide industry connection and experience of the sector and FluxSys's expertise in this technical area to reach out to diverse student communities and deliver an impactful event that has ongoing sustainability through the online material and a trial recruitment model for reaching underrepresented communities.The material presented will address some of the broader issues where PEMD will be needed to support electrification such as development of smart grids, battery storage and legislation needed to implement societal change to draw in a broader pool of engineering students.