STEM event set to launch competition to stop plastic pollution
The British International Education Association (BIEA) is proud to host its second annual international Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) conference on 15 January 2020. Focusing on the theme of plastic pollution and how to combat the global issue, the conference will convene a series of expert speakers and panellists who will discuss how technology can help counter plastic waste and save threatened marine and land-based life. “We know that the world has a plastic problem as our oceans and lands have become polluted with our carelessly discarded plastic waste. This plastic will take thousands of years to decompose on land, whilst the plastic in the oceans break up into toxin-laden tiny particles, causing chemical pollution in the oceans. By bringing attention to this crisis and discussing how scientific technology can help clean up plastic waste before it becomes environmentally dangerous, we at the BIEA hope to engage today’s international youth to use education to become the ones who can help save the planet of plastic pollution,†said David Hanson, STEM competition chairman at BIEA. The 2020 conference will also mark the beginning of the BIEA’s International STEM Youth Innovation Competition, whose theme will also encompass the plastic pollution problem. The competition will engage young STEM students in technological innovation and how it can be used to clear detrimental plastic waste from our rivers and oceans. Teams from 40 countries and regions have registered so far, including UK, USA, Australia, China, Finland, Mexico, Pakistan, UAE, India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Poland etc. Participating international student teams will research, write a report and design the solution on how to ‘Save our shores from plastic waste through STEM,’ with finalists moving on to final rounds in June/July 2020. Open to anyone between the ages of 9 and 21 years old, and the winning teams will take cash prizes to contribute to their school/university STEM labs. Conference speakers, panelists, and moderators include experts from Imperial College, Thames21, the Royal Society, the British Council, BIEA and the Royal Institution. A mystery giant marine animal sculpture is being made by a team of young artists to highlight the impact of plastic pollution. The empty plastic bottles are loaned from London Energy and will be returned after the campaign for recycling. The conference will be held at the Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle St, Mayfair, London W1S 4BS. To purchase tickets to the BIEA conference, visit https://tinyurl.com/wvdrosr For more information about the STEM Youth Innovation Competition visits www.bieacompetition.org.uk or follow BIEA @BIEAeducation on social media.
How specialist STEM provision gives students a real advantage in education and beyond
There is a worldwide drive on STEM education because 75% of the fastest growing occupations require that particular skill set. One of the most effective ways to ensure students can develop the skills required is by introducing STEM enrichment days throughout the year. The most successful activities enable pupils to explore career options they have never previously considered, using skills they may not even know they possess. They allow participants to glimpse a possible future and be enthused enough to explore more. But it takes an inordinate amount of time to design and finely hone every aspect of an activity to ensure it has maximum impact. For this reason, it can be more effective to invite specialist providers into the school. Thinkers in Education (TiE) have carefully developed a unique range of highly specialised workshops that help students to improve their creative and critical thinking, whilst developing problem solving and communication skills. Participants use new equipment, explore new concepts and learn new techniques that reinforce and extend curriculum content. Simultaneously, teachers can quickly evaluate the impact of teaching strategies demonstrated and trial new resources for themselves. TiE workshops have been recommended by every host school since 2001 because all are designed and delivered by exceptional presenters – all highly experienced teachers – supported by their specialist classroom assistants. It makes a huge difference. Talk to the TiE team to find an unrivalled STEM workshop for your pupils or staff. Email: STEM@thinkersineducation.co.uk www.thinkersineducation.co.uk
Rolls-Royce and Discovery Education bring STEM to primary schools
An exciting new partnership to inspire the next generation of scientists was launched at Rolls-Royce HQ in Derby recently. Teachers from local primary schools visited the Rolls-Royce Learning and Development Centre to celebrate the start of the new initiative, which sees the company joining forces with Discovery Education to support STEM learning. Developed to spark children’s interest in future STEM careers, the pioneering collaboration will provide classroom resources to 40 primary schools across the UK – including 25 in Derbyshire, supported by Rolls-Royce. These schools will be given access to Discovery Education STEM Connect, a new service blending dynamic, digital content with hands-on activities which will help teachers to bring science, maths and design & technology to life for young learners. The Derbyshire teachers attending thrlaunch event explored the new resources and activities which will boost STEM learning in their primary schools. With a focus on bringing real-world STEM challenges into the classroom, the STEM Connect resources will also encourage children to think about sustainable futures, inspired by The United Nations Sustainability Goals. Friday’s event was the first in a series of STEM teacher professional learning celebrations also taking place in Birmingham, Sheffield and Bristol as part of this programme. Disadvantaged areas will benefit from STEM partnership Paul Broadhead, Head of Community at Rolls-Royce said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Discovery Education to provide pioneering STEM learning in primary schools across the UK, particularly in areas of disadvantage. Through this collaboration hundreds of children will experience the power of STEM and learn how engineering & technology can be used to better look after our planet.†Christine Major, Director of Educational Partnerships said: “Discovery Education is delighted to be partnering with Rolls-Royce to bring STEM learning to hundreds of school children across Derbyshire and beyond. Our future-focused classroom resources will bring real-world context to STEM learning, inspiring the next generation of innovators while educating children about sustainability and the challenges facing our planet.†The primary schools that attended Friday’s event were: Beaufort Primary School, Wren Park Primary School, Shelton Junior School, Griffe Field Primary School and Bonsall CE VA Primary School. These schools are among the first in the UK to access the new Discovery Education STEM Connect platform, which will be launched to schools nationwide later this month. To request more information about Discovery Education STEM Connect please visit discoveryeducation.co.uk.
Gratnells consolidates STEM packaging expertise with international partnership
Gratnells, the global leader in educational storage solutions, based in Harlow, has continued its commitment to enhancing worldwide classrooms by redesigning a CoDrone STEM education kit for a robotics company in the USA. Established 7 years ago in San Diego, California, Robolink make STEM education accessible, engaging and fun for American children and hobbyists. The company encourages students to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics through hands-on robotics kits, the latest of which required fully customisable speciality packaging. Gratnells, the creators of the iconic Gratnells tray, has been providing solutions directly to more than 68 countries around the world from the UK for over 40 years. Opening a dedicated US operations site last year, the company has solidified its international offering by producing modern STEAM activity and makerspace storage designed to suit a curriculum shaped by the modern world. As education equipment becomes more technologically advanced and sophisticated, an increasing number of STEM kit developers at home and abroad are turning to Gratnells to provide trays and SmartCases capable of housing bespoke kit components. Protective and customisable systems are often required that are capable of carrying inserts for segmenting delicate equipment, small components, electronics and art supplies. For the Robolink CoDrone kit, a tough, lightweight and versatile storage case with ideal qualities for storing delicate parts was selected, Gratnells SmartCase. The Gratnells product development team then established that a suitable solution would need to house all components, spares, controllers and finally assembled drones. A bespoke design of die cut foam inserts with removable sections was created and full customisation procedures were implemented to ensure all components remained secure in pre and post build states. To complete the package, the SmartCases were finished with the CoDrone logo. Wes Hsu, VP of UX & Design at Robolink, said “Customers love the way the parts are laid out and say they just can’t wait to start building. The Gratnells team were able to take feedback and reach a solution that made sense despite have a pretty tough set of parameters for the CoDone case to meet.†Anthony Byrne, Product Manager at Gratnells said, “We are very pleased with the way the solution turned out for Robolink. The SmartCase solution really adds value to STEM coding, robotics and programing kits and the customisation looks great.â€
The gender gap in STEM careers
STEM subjects encompass stereotypically male-dominated careers: science, technology, engineering, and maths. History has always leaned in favour of men within these subjects, which could explain why the number of females in these industries is still low. These damaging stereotypes, as well as preconceptions of what these careers entail, have left industries such as manufacturing wholly unappealing — nearly three-quarters of women admitted to Women in Manufacturing (WiM) they would not consider a career in manufacturing. How do we attract more women into these roles? In order to want to fill a job yourself, you must be able to envisage yourself in it first. For a woman looking at a male-dominated industry, it is difficult to do so. Therefore, to encourage more women companies need to recruit and retain more women — starting at the top. For example, the FTSE 100 was able to report an increase in female-held directorships in 2018. Despite the number of female executive directorships remaining the same between 2017 and 2018, directorships rose from 294 to 305, a rise of 1.3%. However, out of these 100 companies those in the construction and building sector only featured twice. The UK has the lowest percentage of female engineers across Europe. In fact, countries such as Cyprus having nearly three times as many women in similar roles. This article will focus on women’s relationship with the STEM and manufacturing industries and how to encourage female pupils into further studying STEM – laying the path for their careers. Missing the potential The first thing to look into is the sector’s existing employees. A 2016 survey found how manufacturing had the largest pool of untapped talent, simply because there were very few women in the roles previously. Not only is there an abundance of female staff available but they are also highly qualified, most possessing not only a bachelor’s but a supplementary master’s degree. Despite these qualifications, more than half of women employed in this sector feel they are treated differently due to their gender. This moves away from stereotypes however and into a dangerous position of discrimination. Women being in these roles has proved to be beneficial not only in plugging the gender gap, but also for the company’s profitability themselves. Research suggests that every 10 per cent increase in gender diversity relates to a 3.5 per cent increase in gross profit. Marci Bonham, Hilti’s Managing Director, believes that ‘supporting women as they take their first management steps within the industry will have a positive impact overall’. Shine theory This thought process links to shine theory. This theory carries significant relevance to women trying to crack the heavily dominated male industries. The workplace can be a hard place for anyone starting new, but for a woman starting off in a new role surrounded by mainly men — well the aforementioned stats speak for themselves. The shine theory looks at how much women can succeed if they befriended other females in the workplace, instead of battling against them. Effectively, this American concept emphasises how surrounding yourself with positive and successful women will create a positive atmosphere within. Careers development Despite being nearly half of the entire workforce in the UK, a report by the Guardian showed that women only make up 14.4% of the STEM workforce. This is despite the fact they make up almost half of the overall workforce. The best way of encouraging girls into STEM careers is to establish more prominent idol like figures within these subject areas. Take for example Brian Cox, it is easier for young boys interested in getting into physics to relate to him. Alternatively, Donna Strickland as a physicist from Canada, became only the third woman ever to win the Nobel Prize award for her science. Her name, along with others who achieved spectacular heights, needs to be promoted throughout kids of a young age. Apprentice routes University isn’t for everyone. This has seen apprenticeships gain in popularity once again. The statistics for the sectors women are choosing to carry out apprenticeships in doesn’t bode well in supporting this plug of the gender gap. Subject areas including learning support, travel services, and beauty therapy, all had 80% or more female applicants. On the other hand, vehicle maintenance and repair, gas industry, and construction skills all had below 10%. Here, we look at two companies who are pushing to increase their number of apprenticeships who are female: Lookers Group, retailer of Ford Transit Connect, has its own female apprentice network. The scheme is based around setting up regular meetings between female apprentices, providing them with the opportunity to share their new-found knowledge and experiences. British Gas is actively encouraging more women to enrol on its apprenticeship scheme. They similarly draw upon the fact, that by putting more women into male-dominated apprenticeships, the gender pay gap is likely to be bridged. Sources: manufacturinglounge.com growthbusiness.co.uk vinazine.com/2019/01/07/the-shine-theory-what-it-is-and-why-you-need-it/ bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-37360233 notgoingtouni.co.uk/blog/girls-in-apprenticeships-3694 industryweek.com/leadership/women-untapped-resource-manufacturing business-school.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/businessschool/documents/research/Female_FTSE_Report_2018.pdf
Can apprenticeships close the UK’s STEM skills gap?
A lack of workers with the correct STEM skills is reportedly costing the UK economy around £1.5 billion per annum. But could improving and developing STEM apprenticeships be the solution? Apprenticeships are becoming more popular than ever before, which is encouraging. But more still needs to be done to close the STEM skills gap. Perhaps due to their focus on offering hands-on and practical learning processes, apprenticeship programmes are ideally suited to the STEM — science, technology, engineering, and maths — sectors. But is there a way to boost the uptake where STEM apprenticeships are concerned? How big is the problem? To address the shortages, it’s important to understand the scale of it and what the future could hold if not dealt with efficiently. According to a response by the Royal Academy of Engineering, more than half of engineering companies say they have had problems recruiting the experienced engineers they need. Despite what many people may think, workforce ageing does play a significant role in the problem. As skilled and experienced engineers retire, it is increasing vacancies across thousands of engineering roles. Putting a more exact figure on this is EngineeringUK, which — through detailed analysis — has determined that there are annually 29,000 too few workers with level 3 skills and an even greater shortage of more qualified engineers — 40,000 of those with level 4 and above skills. Although we’ve passed the Brexit deadline and are still currently in the European Union, it continues to remain a problem for STEM businesses. As uncertainty remains, the UK’s exit from the European Union could create an even bigger headache for those in STEM sectors. To close the gap, more businesses are looking to become more inclusive. At present, under 10% of the engineering workforce is female, while those from minority ethnic backgrounds make up just 6% of the workforce. But, could apprenticeships be the solution? An insight to apprenticeships across the UK Traditionally, young people would leave school with a job waiting for them. Nowadays, students have a wealth of opportunities to choose from, whether it’s A-levels, BTECs or apprenticeships — and the latter is growing in popularity. Interestingly, over 491k young people started an apprenticeship in 2016-17. Each month, an average of 23,000 apprenticeship opportunities are listed on the government’s Find an Apprenticeship site, while organisations — such as WISE, which campaigns for gender balance in science, technology and engineering — are continually driving initiatives to help grow the number of apprentices in these sectors. However, between May and July 2017, parliamentary statistics show that only 43,600 people began an apprenticeship, which is a 61% reduction from the 113,000 that started in the same period in 2016. This has been largely accredited to an apprenticeship levy that was introduced in April 2017, which every employer with a pay bill of more than £3 million a year must adhere to if they want to employ apprentices. Has this had an impact on STEM-related businesses? Apparently not. In 2016/17, 112,000 people started a STEM apprenticeship — up from 95,000 in 2012/13. This growth is impressive and may be a sign that STEM employers are taking on board the warning that they must be creative with their recruitment processes. “The traditional recruitment pool is diminishing at the same time as work-based learning routes are facing increasing competition from alternative post-16-year-old provision. Employers wishing to attract quality applicants in sufficient numbers to meet their skills requirements have to look beyond their traditional sources†was one comment by Rod Kenyon, former director of the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network. Should we be looking at the demographics of those who become apprentices to close in on the gap? Overall, women account for 50% of all apprentices in the UK. However, for STEM apprenticeships, they make up just 8% — encouraging this group of people could be the answer. It’s time to bring women into STEM positions. According to WISE, 5,080 women achieved a Core-STEM apprenticeship in 2016/2017, while 62,060 men accomplished the same in the same period. What makes this statistic even more concerning is that, according to an Apprenticeships in England report published by the House of Commons Library, 54% of overall apprenticeships starts were women in 2016/2017. Evidently, women are opting for apprenticeships in different fields, which means that STEM industries are missing out on thousands of potential workers if they don’t try to make their apprenticeship programmes as attractive to women apprentices as they clearly are to men. Reducing the gap By 2020, the government wants to place three million apprenticeships. Apprenticeships in STEM industries must be advocated and discussed in schools in order to instil a sense of enthusiasm from a younger age. Career advisors should make it clearer to kids that a university degree is not the only avenue to success and that the same level of fulfilment and opportunity is available with STEM apprenticeship programmes. Perhaps this means a stronger relationship between STEM firms and educational establishments, which can grant more opportunities for schoolchildren to get first-hand experience of how these companies work in practice prior to having to make an official decision. There are a lot of incentives for working in this industry too. The Institution of Engineering and Technology, otherwise known as IET, offers around £1 million in prizes, scholarships and awards. Hopefully, positive initiatives like the IET’s will help encourage participation in STEM apprentices and ease the pressure on these sectors’ skills gap – before it’s too late. This article was brought to you by Houghton International, industrial pump repairs specialists.
Girls in STEM careers: Nothing is impossible
Najwa Jawahar MEng, BEng CEng MIStructE, is a senior structural engineer at WSP – which provides a range of services from building high-rise property to mining precious metals. Here, she reviews the Rocking Ur Teens event which took place earlier this year in a bid to inspire young girls to pursue careers in STEM industries – and boost pupils’ confidence. Nothing Is Impossible I am a chartered structural engineer and specialise in the design of tall buildings. I joined WSP, a global design consultant in the built environment as a graduate engineer and have now been in the industry for over 7.5 years. I believe nothing is impossible and all you need to do is truly believe in your dreams. I am a huge advocate of inspiring, educating and mentoring the next generation. For this reason, when Sandy Parris from Rocking Ur Teens approached me in 2017, I couldn’t say no. Since then I have been supporting the event and absolutely enjoy being part of their journey. “What if there were no engineers?†is the question I ask the girls. What if there was no clean water, nowhere to sleep, no school to go to, no mobile phone, no hospitals, roads. Everything around us is engineered in some way or form. Without engineers, life would be very different from how we see it today. I let the girls imagine their own life without the facilities they have around. The reactions are amazing. In May, Rocking Ur Teens hit Manchester for the first time, to inspire, excite and educate our teens. I looked forward to the conference myself because it brings together so many role models under one roof and empowers them with fun. Careers engagement with added fun As a speaker, I shared my story, I shared what I do and how I chose my career path. Believe it or not, I used the method of elimination. I decided what I didn’t want to do and ended up being a Structural Design Engineer. I shared that you don’t necessarily have to be an engineer to work in an engineering firm and you don’t need to have done mathematics and physics to make a difference to the world around you. But in engineering, you don’t just talk. You build. So, I got the girls to construct their own towers using spaghetti and marshmallows – a challenge to either engineer the tallest structure or the longest structure. I received fantastic responses. Within the groups in action, I saw leaders, I saw the team working, I saw creativity and innovation, and above all, I saw huge smiles. I genuinely believe in the vision of Rocking Ur Teens and the impact it is having on the future generations. It’s an excellent platform to empower teenagers in a fun way. For more information on the careers opportunities promoted by Rocking Ur Teens, see rockingurteens.com
Girls’ progression in science studied by Institute of Physics
Schools from across England are being invited to sign up for free to the Institute of Physics’ Improving Gender Balance national research trial. Across England, the trial, funded by the Department for Education (DfE) will work with teachers on whole-school approaches to tackling gender stereotyping and the resulting limits on both boys and girls’ choices. In doing so it seeks to redress the fact that for more than 30 years only a fifth of those taking A-level physics in England have been girls. The randomised control trial, will see half of participating schools receiving a wide-ranging programme of valuable evidence-based support including: · Training and continuous professional development for teachers · The development of a whole-school strategy to combat gender stereotyping · Options evenings, careers guidance, and student-led projects · A dedicated, Institute of Physics coach A previous smaller scale pilot project run across six schools in 2014-2016 saw the number of girls taking A-level physics more than treble over two years. Participating schools reported that a non-gendered whole school approach and head-on tackling of gender stereotypes had equipped teachers to ensure that all students were able to explore the possibility of studying subjects across the board, irrespective of gender. Fifty-five per cent of A-levels were awarded to girls in 2018. However, girls just 43% of A levels awarded in STEM subjects and only 22% of A-levels awarded in physics, with only 13% of girls who achieved grade A or A* in GCSE physics going on to study the subject at A-level. This compares to 39% of boys who go on to study physics at A-level having achieved grade A or A* in the subject at GCSE (Institute of Fiscal Studies, August 2018). The Institute of Physics’ ground-breaking Improving Gender Balance trial is open to all state-funded co-ed secondary schools where a gap currently exists between the proportion of girls and boys taking physics A-level and all girls schools with a relatively low number of girls progressing to A-level in physics. Beth Bramley, Gender Balance Programme Manager at the Institute of Physics commented: “Physics is hugely rewarding subject to study at A-level and a gateway subject to so many exciting career roles and higher education options. We want to ensure that as many young people as possible, irrespective of gender have the chance to benefit from the opportunities it can open up. “This ground-breaking research study represents a unique opportunity to make a real difference. It will tell us what really ‘works’, embed whole-school approaches to tackling gender stereotyping and help set the future agenda for best practice in gender balance improvement in schools.” All interested schools can sign up to participate in the Institute of Physics trial at beta.iop.org, with applications open until 31st May 2019.
How to get children excited about STEM
It’s unsurprising that children who have confidence in their abilities tend to be more successful in their studies – and that confidence isn’t just built within the school gates. Teaching kids about science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) early on helps lay the foundations for deeper learning, and parents can play a big role in supporting this. Leading chemistry specialists Radleys share their top tips for getting kids excited about STEM subjects. Look outside the classroom Demonstrating that STEM doesn’t just happen inside the classroom can really open children’s eyes. And it’s true – we use skills from these subjects as an everyday occurrence. Maths at the supermarket, science when we talk about the weather, even something like travelling in the car can put these basic skills to the test. Why not put their knowledge to the test in a shop by getting them to figure out the change from a £10 note? Or work out fractions and percentages with products in the sale? Quick calculations are great brain exercises, and they’re simple yet effective. Make it fun It’s a tried-and-tested method, but when you disguise problem-solving as a fun and engaging activity, kids get excited about it without even realising! And if they think maths is “boring†or they’re “rubbish†at science, it’s all about trying to change their attitude. These subjects can feel overwhelming, but if you apply them to everyday life they can learn in all kinds of different ways. Let them lead with regards to what they’re interested in. When you’ve figured this out, you can focus their learning around that – and the fun can begin! Get hands-on Getting hands-on and stuck in is one of the best ways to learn, with plenty of intellectual benefits. Something like baking a cake is a great example of using essential skills like maths, science and communication. They can measure out the ingredients, and experiment with substituting different textures and flavours. It doesn’t have to be limited to baking, either – you can link it with any of their hobbies, from ballet to football to painting. Think about future skills STEM skills are an essential part of laying the foundations for a child’s future – and can even pave the way for a career in STEM itself. Get them thinking about what the future might hold; kids love to role play, so you could build this into the game. Whether they want to be a maths teacher or a pharmacist, getting them excited for a potential career is a great way to help them enhance the skills they’ll need. Keep them curious The most important thing to remember is that if you keep their minds curious, their enthusiasm will soar. Why not take them on fun, educational days out to places like the aquarium or museum? New places spark curiosity naturally in children, and present an opportunity for them to ask plenty of questions and think in a different way. Who knows, you might all learn something as a family! Planning an outdoor adventure is another great way to stimulate their creativity. Go to the park or for a walk around your neighbourhood, and get them to collect some of nature’s souvenirs along the way. Leaves, pinecones and rocks can all be brought home and studied in more detail. Give it a go! For more information about STEM please click here