Budding science correspondents Sophie Spendlove and Jonathan Brooks scooped an interview with 3M last week as part of a new emda-funded initiative to encourage more pupils to follow science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) courses.
Armed with notepad and a microphone the two from Garendon High School in Loughborough met Rosalind Smith, 3M Health Care public relations manager to find out how the company attracts and develops young science and technology staff.
Garendon High School has signed-up to the STEM Student Journalist project developed by the emda-funded East Midlands STEM Partnership to encourage pupils to report on STEM-related news stories and share their passion for the topic with a wider public audience. The region has a strong base of healthcare and pharmaceutical companies like 3M and to compete globally they need a steady stream of chemists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians.
Sophie and Jonathan were joined at 3M by the Head of Science at Garendon High School, Patrick Harkins who is keen to support the journalist initiative. “The interesting thing about this project is how it touches on all aspects of the curriculum from creative thinking and writing to recording technology in order to capture the excitement of STEM news stories. Our two journalists are now expected to contribute to an article for an East Midlands business magazine so they have to meet deadlines too!”
During the interview at the Morley Street HQ of 3M Health Care, the two discovered how a large global company recruits and retains talented staff, what it does to encourage innovative thinking and why the company is so active in engaging with schools and the wider community. 3M is famous for household products such as Scotch Tape and Post-It® Notes and in the health care market is a leading manufacturer of medical devices, metered-dose inhalers and dental products.
Speaking after her interview Rosalind Smith said: “I was impressed by the amount of preparation Sophie and Jonathan had put into their questions. They were very perceptive and as a result found out a great deal about 3M and how our business operates. Our 860 employees here in Loughborough have a broad range of skills, many of them science-based but I explained that any STEM-related knowledge can be put to good use in different jobs. For example, I have a biology degree which helps in my communications role as I understand the technical aspects of what we do”.
Garendon High School will be one of several Leicestershire schools taking part in the STEM Student Journalist media workshop at the National Space Centre on 4th June.
Anyone wanting further information should contact Louise Third on 0115 906 1377.