COVID KIDS: WE ALL WANNA BE BOFFINS
Youngsters inspired to save world
THE Covid pandemic has created a new generation of wannabe scientists.
Half of children now dream about inventing something that could change the world.
They said coronavirus had made them more interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, and innovation.
Robert Cheesewright, director at Smart Energy GB, said: “It’s really interesting to see how recent times have shaped the next generation’s career choices and the impact they want to have on the world.”
Half of those polled said they now viewed experts like Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, 61, as role models.
In fact, as many children
(73%) have heard of Professor Chris Whitty, 55, as they also know of astronomy guru Professor Brian Cox, 53.
The poll of 2,000 kids aged 11 to 16 also found that 57% said they’d love to invent a product to solve the climate crisis, while 39% would most like to discover a way for people with illnesses to live longer.
Mr Cheesewright added: “It’s particularly heart-warming that children are so passionate about the environment and are desperate to find a solution to the ongoing climate crisis.
“The good news is that they will be helped in their quest by technology such as smart meters, which are already upgrading our ageing energy system and helping our country move to a smarter, greener future.”
Kids would rather be a scientist (44%) or an engineer (42%) than a social media influencer (40%) or a reality TV star (27%).
But jobs like a teacher (36%) or a doctor (35%) proved even less popular among youngsters. serious