STEMNET spearheads campaign to create 27,000 ‘science heroes’ for schools by 2011. Lord Drayson, the Science Minister, has today (9 March) spoken out about the need for UK industry to engage with the next generation of young people through the UK-wide Science and Engineering Ambassadors programme to avert a national STEM skills crisis.
Speaking at the start of National Science and Engineering Week, Lord Drayson said: “As we enter tough economic times and look to boost British expertise in areas such as high tech manufacturing, the foundation for which is Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths skills, it is more crucial than ever that employers join the drive to inspire young people about the possibilities of studying and pursuing a career in these areas.
“The Science and Engineering Ambassadors programme is a UK-wide network created to help industry to do this. It connects our most inspiring young scientists, engineers and technology experts with hundreds of thousands of young people across the UK. I would like to see all science enterprise businesses from SMEs to multinationals signing up to this scheme. We want every school in the country to have access to their own ‘science hero’ by 2011.”
The Science and Engineering Ambassadors programme was established in 2002 by STEMNET (the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Network) with funding from the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills (DIUS). Since then the scheme has grown to involve over 19,000 professionals working in these areas from snow board designers to web developers, pharmacists to rocket scientists. More than half the Ambassadors are under 35 and 40% are women.
Ambassadors visit schools and colleges on a regular basis to help with after-school activities, give careers talks and organise inspiring work-place trips. Research has shown that young people at are much more likely to study science at A Level and pursue science, technology, engineering and maths at university if they have had exposure to positive role models. The Ambassadors are available to help support students and teachers across all school ages, from 5 to 19.
Yvonne Baker, Chief Executive of STEMNET, added: “We are very grateful to every one of our volunteer Ambassadors and the employers who support them – each Ambassador can make a real difference to young people’s understanding of where science and maths can lead and how it can help them fulfill their dreams. Ambassadors are in great demand and we are always looking to expand the network so that more young people can have access to inspiring role models. None of it is possible without the backing of STEM employers and the willingness of their employees to give their time, enthusiasm and commitment to the scheme. We are thankful to all those organisations which do support and we are always happy to welcome more. The economic climate may be difficult but this is an investment that business cannot afford not to make if the UK is to compete with emerging economies such as India and China.”
Matt Bross, Chief Technology Officer at the BT group, which provides Ambassadors for the scheme, said: “One of the most important things we can do to stimulate the next generation of technology innovators is to help excite and inspire young people by harnessing their natural enthusiasm and affinity for technology and unleashing their natural flair as innovators. The men and women of BT who work as Ambassadors help put the ‘T’ into ‘STEM’ and experience the challenge and excitement of passing on the passion that they feel for what they do. They show aspiring young innovators that it’s people, commitment, inspiration and enthusiasm that make technology work, not boxes! BT’s success in the UK is dependent upon a having a thriving and effective ecosystem of technology literate customers, suppliers and competitors.”
George Quayle, Managing Director of Technical Fibre Products Ltd, a small high-tech materials company based in Cumbria which provides three Ambassadors, said: “Industry needs to get behind the STEMNET programme. STEM students are the future wealth creators of this country. They need to be enticed to join industry to ensure the UK prospers in a very competitive world. TFP has benefited from involvement as the programme has motivated our young STEM graduate employees and enhanced their leadership, project management and mentoring skills, as well as generating interest in future employment from a pool of local talent.”