Engaging with Potential STEM Students

By guest blogger: Mark Goudie

Former Year in Industry student and Energy Category Winner of the Telegraph UK STEM Awards 2015

STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) is identified by experts in education, industry and government as being vital to the UK economy and the future of the country. It drives innovation and growth in some key UK sectors including manufacturing, energy, finance and construction with approximately 45% of employers currently facing challenges recruiting sufficient STEM staff. With the current aging STEM workforce, there is a potential staff shortfall on the horizon as they reach retirement age but how can employers engage with school students to increase the uptake of STEM school subjects to eventually increase the number of STEM graduates?

Engaging with potential STEM students is a long term investment. Continuous interaction with students over the course of their school education improves the likelihood of them choosing a STEM subject at university and generates a pipeline of qualified STEM professionals. EDT has a wide portfolio of programmes that target students at various stages of their education. Ranging from industrial experience to group based challenges; these programmes offer the students the chance to gain valuable skills and exposure to STEM subjects.

From my own experience of The Year in Industry scheme, students gain useful work experience, training and a relationship with a company that can turn into full time employment.  This engagement and retention of students provides employers with a pipeline of future graduates. Going a step further, if employers engage with students even before they make critical subject choices in secondary education, it can increase both the quantity and quality of students potentially progressing into STEM subjects in further or higher education.

Besides the recruitment benefits, employer participation in STEM initiatives allows their staff to strengthen key management and communication skills – especially useful for young engineers seeking chartership. Currently, most employers encourage and support staff membership of STEMNET with the intention of them becoming STEM Ambassadors. This recognised scheme allows companies to run their own initiatives. This could be interactive and/or team based workshops to get students engaged with particular subjects/sectors, giving informative presentations or supporting careers events.

Participation in most STEM initiatives allows employers to use their staff as inspirational role models; influencing student subject and career choices during critical stages in education while also challenging some of the stereotypes surrounding STEM subjects and careers. All of this is part of the Enhancement and Enrichment (E&E) drive that seeks to encourage, enthuse and motivate students towards STEM subjects.

Employer mentoring of young people attending school or college is increasing in popularity; supporting clubs, career events and providing work experience for school students. Long term mentoring and association with schools provides a network for the students to access, giving context to their learning in the classroom and encouraging them to consider STEM based careers. Employers working closely with colleges and universities also helps increase the STEM opportunities available to students whilst improving student retention through scholarships and work experience. The Engineering Academy from the University of Strathclyde is one such programme that supports the widening access agenda while providing new engineering pathways for students wanting to become engineers.

At the end of the day, STEM initiatives are partnerships. It is industry that can show the students how choosing STEM subjects opens up the door to well-paid, challenging and rewarding careers. Employers also have a responsibility to make sure that parents and teachers have enough information and knowledge to help students make the correct career choices. Lastly it is the employers that need these students and working with them to choose not only a STEM education but a STEM career will help their business meet staffing demands in the years to come.


Bio:
Mark Goudie, a recent MEng in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering graduate from the University of Strathclyde, completed his Year in Industry in the nuclear industry with EDF Energy and has completed three placements with Atkins as a Power Academy Scholar and will be joining Atkins as a graduate in August 2015. Mark was also announced as the Energy Category Winner of the Telegraph UK STEM Awards 2015.