STEMNET
national final, winning £1000 that has since been invested in equipment for the club, including water rockets and a telescope.
Broxburn Academy’s dedication to STEM activities also helped them to secure the title of Most Dedicated STEM Club at our 2012 Awards. The STEMNET Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate the work of individuals like STEM Ambassadors, schools and businesses in encouraging young people in STEM. In 2012 the awards were supported by BIS and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which is offering all winners a trip to CERN – home of the Large Hadron Collider. STEMNET received over 150 nominations and were overwhelmed with the dedication to engaging young people in STEM subjects displayed by individuals and employers across the UK.
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In November 2012, Elizabeth Orchard, an Assistant Civil Engineer at Peter Brett Associates in Reading, was awarded the Most Dedicated STEM Ambassador at the STEMNET Awards. Elizabeth works in infrastructure design and won the award for her commitment to helping local students learn about engineering careers.
“Peter Brett Associates is dedicated to engaging with the local community but previously didn’t have a structured approach or programme in place,” she said. “Over the past two years I have developed a STEM Ambassador group within the organisation that now has over thirty employees involved around the country.”
STEM Ambassadors are asked to take part in a minimum of one activity per year, allowing
for flexibility in how much time an individual or employer can commit. Elizabeth is doing a lot more than this. She is collaborating with Oxford and Cherwell Valley College and Reading College to design the curriculum for a new University Technical College for 14-19 year olds, due to open in Reading in 2013. She is representing Peter Brett Associates, one of four industry partners – including Microsoft, Cisco and Network Rail – in providing guidance about the kinds of skills employers want, and need, from new recruits.
“Helping to design a brand new curriculum feels like the ultimate engagement with STEM education,” says Elizabeth. “For too long there seems to have been a disconnection between the skills students learn in the classroom and what employers need for their business. Industry is constantly changing and it’s our responsibility to collaborate with academia too.”
Whilst it is essential for us to have the skills, passion and expertise of individual volunteers, the support of employers in allowing their staff the time to engage with young people is just as critical. Around 3,000 employers, large and small, are already involved through the STEM Ambassadors Programme, with many
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