Research and Development of a Creative Instrument to Allure Students Towards Engineering

Nowadays, with fast technological progression and an increasing complexity of problems, society needs more efficient and more sustainable solutions. This entire dynamic must be based on sustainable development goals (SDGs) as they present themselves as a common global vision of humanity's goals and targets. Within this premise, education is a key factor in producing responsible, competent, multidisciplinary, and highly trained Engineers who can respond to society's needs. However, there is a global opposite trend where there is a decreasing number of students enrolled in higher education in courses in this scientific area. With the objectives of awakening a sense of ingenuity and promoting vocations in Engineering in elementary and high school students, the Ha Engenharia em Mim® (There is Engineering in me) program was developed by the national professional association of Engineers in Portugal, the Ordem dos Engineers. Through this creative tool, curiosity, sagacity, astuteness and attractiveness towards Engineering are stimulated in a simplified and captivating way, meaning that the widespread implementation of this program can mitigate or reverse the trend of students moving away from choosing careers in Engineering.