Over the last academic year, Services for Young People (SfYP), in partnership with local STEM employers, has delivered valuable learning experiences to young people from Barnwell School, The Valley School, Marriotts School, The Thomas Alleyne Academy, and Barclay Academy through a range of STEM careers activities, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for their future careers.
The programme, funded and supported by Mission 44, began with two workshops delivered by our SfYP Talent Mentor to students in all five schools. The first session provided an engaging introduction to STEM, where young people learnt about local STEM employers in Stevenage and took part in quizzes to broaden their knowledge of different STEM careers. The second workshop explored their options after school, including apprenticeships, A-Levels, T-Levels and BTECs.
Following these workshops, there were a variety of interactive activities and challenges for students, both in and out of school. Highlights of the programme included:
STEM Careers Challenge
Held in February 2024, this event provided hands-on experiences and insights into various STEM careers. Read more about the event in our previous news story Access To All STEM event February 2024.
Wildlife survey
In April, students welcomed the Wilder Communities Officer from Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust to their schools. They learnt about making environments more attractive to wildlife and created wish lists for their school grounds.
Young people learning about careers linked to wildlife and surveying their school grounds to create a ‘wilder wish list’.
Workplace tours
In May, the students toured the facilities at Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult and used virtual reality goggles to explore the manufacturing laboratories and see inside a living cell, as well as learning about many of the job roles at the organisation.
Students from Barnwell School hearing from the Skills Programme Lead and exploring the Skills and Training Laboratories.
STEM Discovery Centre visits
The students enjoyed a day of exciting STEM activities at the STEM Discovery Centre in Stevenage in May and June. They used forensic science techniques to analyse artificial bloodstain patterns, launched exploding rockets, tested slime, controlled a robotic arm, and observed Airbus engineers test prototype rovers involved in the ExoMars project.
Students taking part in hands-on learning by creating paint rockets to understand chemical reactions, studying blood splatters to practice investigative science and maths skills, and using a robotic arm to solve problems and build a tower.
Employer presentations and workshops
JCA Engineering, a business offering engineering and construction services, delivered a presentation about a day in the life of an apprentice at three schools and students completed a practical wire-stripping activity.
The employability skills workshop, delivered by DLRC Regulatory Consultancy, helped students understand the skills they will need to get a job. They identified their own skills, qualities, and values, and considered how these apply in the workplace.
Students at Marriotts School practised problem solving during a coding workshop with Tier 2 Consulting, a software development company, identifying and repairing issues in game code.
An NHS Trainee Clinical Scientist specialising in immunology introduced young people at Marriotts School and Barclay Academy to career paths and roles in clinical and biomedical science. They delivered an interactive session on identifying illnesses using a practical case study.
Over the last two months, students have also taken part in workshops about tackling climate change, focused on jobs involved in achieving net-zero by 2025.
Students from Marriotts School learning to edit HTML code and fixing a video game during a coding workshop.
Parent and carer workshops
Throughout the programme, several online workshops were offered to parents and carers to increase their knowledge of STEM careers, including:
- Understanding options for young people after they finish Year 11
- Applying for university, finances, and study options
- Navigating STEM careers, with a focus on life sciences, presented by guest speaker Dr Kate Barclay, a Scientific Consultant and Industry Advisor
STEM scavenger hunt
The programme concluded with a final STEM workshop including a scavenger hunt to recap all the learning from the year.
Young people using their STEM knowledge and skills to solve clues at the end-of-programme scavenger hunt.
The young people enjoyed the interactivity of the SfYP Access to All programme and told us how it increased their knowledge about options after Year 11, boosted their confidence in finding information about their choices, and developed an interest in engineering and local STEM companies. Impressively, almost 100% of participants now believe they can achieve their dream jobs!
Young people who took part said:
“When I go to college, I want to get an apprenticeship…, learn all I need to know, then start my own business with all my knowledge.”
“[The experience] has really helped me learn about STEM and to get an idea of my dream job.”
“I enjoyed the trips and learning about how I can achieve my goals in different ways.”
Teachers shared their positive feedback about the programme, highlighting the valuable experiences their students gained. They praised the opportunities for students to meet with employers, participate in STEM-related activities, and the impact on young people’s awareness and interest in STEM careers.
Feedback from schools:
“It made the students who attended much more aware of STEM opportunities and interested in STEM careers. They greatly enjoyed it and certainly learned a lot. The trip to the Discovery Centre was a highlight for most of them.”
“Their knowledge of STEM employers in Stevenage has certainly increased, so they are more aware of what is out there for them. There were so many opportunities and activities that the students really enjoyed. Everyone who interacted with our students did so in a way that was accessible to them. The SfYP Talent Mentor has done a wonderful job and it has been a great experience for my students. Thank you.”
Our SfYP Talent Mentor added: “It has been a privilege to deliver the Access to All programme and to support Mission 44’s initiative to create a more inclusive world for young people. I am incredibly grateful for the time employers have volunteered to the programme, which has been an invaluable source of inspiration for local young people. I’m hopeful that young people on the programme now have greater confidence and belief in themselves to pursue one of the many careers in STEM available in the Stevenage area.”
For more information about the support SfYP offers to help young people get into education, employment or training, visit our Support for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) page.
Access to All is funded and supported by Mission 44.
