INSTITUTE NEWS Playing a part in securing tomorrow’s workforce
Conscious of the UK’s current engineering ‘skills gap’, and encouraged by IHEEM’s Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, IHEEM’s Project Support officer, Monira Kaouech, has recently signed up as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Ambassador – a voluntary but highly valuable role involving close liaison with schools and colleges – and is urging Institute members to follow suit.
She is also keen that any members – either working in engineering roles, or retired, but passionate about the profession and with a little time to spare, contact her if they would be happy to join her on a visit to a local school or college to talk about their own careers to students, and highlight both the considerable societal contribution that engineers make, and the rewards and benefits of working in such a diverse, fast- changing field.
STEM Ambassadors, of which – the STEM Learning website explains – there are already 30,000 across the UK, are volunteers from a wide range of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related jobs and disciplines, who offer their time and enthusiasm ‘to help bring STEM subjects to life, and demonstrate the value of them in life and careers’. STEM Learning describes them as ‘an important and exciting free-of-charge resource for teachers and others engaging with young people inside and out of the classroom’. Monira Kaouech said: “I signed up as a STEM Ambassador in January, encouraged by the IHEEM Diversity & Inclusion Working Group. Soon after, I attended a two-and-a-half-hour event at Portsmouth University organised by the nearest STEM Ambassador Hub, entitled ‘People Like Me’. Here we received guidance and training on holding a workshop at a school, say for GCSE students, part of which would entail them completing a form to identify some potentially suitable STEM careers for them, based on analysis of their answers to questions about their strengths, aptitudes,
Young women engaged in STEM activity at a recent workshop in support of International Women’s Day 2019, at Winchester Science Centre.
character traits, and professional leanings. The workshop brought together people from diverse backgrounds, and, having seen what is involved, I feel staging career workshops in schools and colleges is a brilliant way to engage young people who may never have considered an engineering or technology-related career. “Although not an engineer myself, as an employee of an organisation operating in a STEM field, I was eligible to be an Ambassador, and would urge any IHEEM members with a positive story to tell, and keen to help address the skills gap, to sign up. I am now collating a list of schools and colleges located close to IHEEM branches that I would potentially like to visit, accompanied by an IHEEM member happy to present to students alongside the ‘People Like Me’ workshop that I will be running. Logic suggests that targeting youngsters who are soon to make their GCSE subject choices is an effective approach, since the choices they make at this stage may well determine their future career direction.
“At my all-girls school in Chichester,” Monira added, “I remember little focus on STEM careers, and I certainly had no idea, approaching my GCSEs, of the vast array of engineering and other STEM careers out there. Once you have registered as a STEM Ambassador, you can find a range of activities to get involved in within your region, and I am looking forward to taking part in my region – Central South England – over coming months.”
Monira Kaouech. 12 Health Estate Journal August 2019
STEM Learning adds: “Being a STEM Ambassador is about engaging and enthusing young people with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. You will help encourage students to consider further study of STEM subjects and progression into related careers, inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals. It offers the chance to give something back to education and the wider community, and the opportunity to develop your own skills and improve
yourself; this can also go towards Continual Professional Development.” Potential activities for STEM Ambassadors include: Giving careers talks or helping at careers fairs.
Providing technical advice or practical support to STEM projects in the classroom.
Supporting projects in after-school STEM Clubs.
Judging school STEM competitions. ‘Speed networking’ with pupils, parents, and teachers.
Devising or delivering practical STEM experiments or demonstrations.
Helping students with mock job interviews.
Activities can be with primary or secondary schools, or with community groups,
Monira Kaouech said: “Any IHEEM member interested in joining me to present at a school or college should email me at
monira.kaouech@iheem.org.uk, or telephone me, on 023 9282 3186.” To discover more about being a STEM Ambassador, visit
www.stem.org.uk/ stem-ambassadors
Calling all
long-standing members
IHEEM is calling for any individuals who have been members of the Institute for 30 or more years, who might be interested in being involved with a ‘Long-standing member’ get-together event, to register their interest with head office by emailing
office@iheem.org.uk, quoting ‘Long Standing Members’ Event’ in the subject line.
©Winchester Science Centre
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