ERA Foundation award
The David Clark Prize
An ERA Foundation prize for teachers who bring engineering to life in the classroom and inspire young people to consider it as a career.
What the prize recognises
The David Clark Prize celebrates teachers who go beyond the syllabus to show young people what engineering is really like, and who inspire them to consider it as a career. The judges look at:
- the teacher’s vision for design and technology, or another STEM subject, taught in a way that could lead to a career in engineering
- the creativity they bring to their work with young people
- the difference they have made: how many young people they reach, and what changes for them
Who can be nominated
Teachers in UK schools, colleges and university technical colleges (UTCs), from primary through to sixth form. Recent winners range from a teacher working with children as young as three to one who guides students through Year 13 and into industry.
What winners receive
Each winner receives a personal award, and their school or college receives funding to develop its engineering and STEM work. The amounts are set by the ERA Foundation each year.
How nominations work
Nominations go to the ERA Foundation, either directly or through partner organisations that work with schools and colleges. A panel of ERA Foundation board members chooses the winners. Dates, the full criteria and how to nominate are published on the ERA Foundation website.
About David Clark
The prize was set up in 2016. It is named after Dr David Clark, the ERA Foundation’s former Executive Secretary, who died in September 2025.