The STEM Network and STEM Clubs in the UK

Background STEM Learning works to ensure: that future generations are able appreciate the role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and careers that more young people enter careers in STEM.

Background in the UK

Background STEM careers lead to good salaries later in life: Graduates earn £160,000/CZK5,025806 more than non- graduates, STEM graduates to earn nearly £250,000/CZK7846819 more. (Engineering UK Report) Chemistry and physics graduates will earn on average over 30% more during their working lifetimes than others. (Price Waterhouse)

Aims To provide information on the STEM Ambassador Programme To provide information on STEM Clubs To present independent evaluation of the programmes

STEM Ambassadors More than 3,000 employers across the UK involved. 30,000 trained STEM Ambassadors More than 40% are female and over 60% are aged under-35. In 2014-15, 93% of UK secondary schools accessed STEM Ambassadors Over 630,000 pupils and 21,000 teachers were involved with STEM Ambassador activities

What is a STEM Ambassador? Volunteer All Ambassadors have a STEM background, they are usually professionals and specialists in their field, providing a free, skilled resource, to support teachers in the classroom. Also Police Checked and Trained

What do STEM Ambassadors do? give careers talks provide technical advice or practical support to STEM projects in the classroom Support projects in after-school STEM Clubs judge school STEM competitions network with pupils, parents and teachers devise or deliver practical STEM experiments

STEM Ambassadors

Ask Peake

Ask Peake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei79jWWM8nc

THE NATIONAL ENGINEERING COMPETITION FOR GIRLS

Hillcrest

Hillcrest School Hillcrest School High Social Deprivation Hillcrest is an all-girls school that accommodates 550 students Small number of boys 16-18 Diverse cultural mix that includes up to forty nationalities.

Activities Ambassadors attend student assemblies Environmental Initiative Science club with Warwick University Links with employers such as Severn Trent Water

STEM Clubs STEM Clubs are a fun way to engage school students with STEM subjects. In 2014-15, more than 75% of secondary schools accessed advice to run STEM Clubs. Through STEM Clubs, students gain practical, team work and leadership skills, their confidence and engagement in STEM increases as well as their motivation to study STEM and enter STEM careers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_luSrJXFcc

Evaluation Students 71% of pupils who had taken part in STEM Learning programmes were more interested in studying science compared to 44% who had not taken part. 60% pupils were more interested in studying mathematics, D&T and engineering. The majority of pupils reported positive impacts in relation to their enjoyment (61%), interest (60%) and progress (58%) in STEM subjects. More than 63% surveyed wanted a STEM job compared to 42% who had not been engaged with the programmes.

Evaluation Teachers More than 81% of teachers reported an increased understanding of STEM industry, increased awareness of STEM careers options and the skills needed (81%), and improved relationships with employers (73%) as a result of STEM Ambassadors. 62% of teachers reported that it would not have been possible to deliver STEM activities, or they would have delivered them on a lesser scale, without support from STEM Ambassadors .

Impact on ambassadors More than 8 out of 10 STEM Ambassadors reported positive impacts in relation to their sense of personal satisfaction with work and their confidence and motivation in working with schools. Employers have benefitted from the increased skills and motivation of their STEM Ambassador employees.

University Entrance 2014 Number of students studying STEM courses in UK at record high In 2013-14, 98,000 students were accepted on to Stem undergraduate courses, the highest level ever recorded. An 8% rise on 2012/13, and an 18% rise since 2002-03. Acceptances on to engineering and technology courses increased by 6% after a decline, returning to the peak levels of 2010-11. Acceptances to computer science courses increased by 12%.

Stem Employment “Analysis has revealed that STEM apprenticeships have become less popular since 2011. STEM apprenticeships make up just under 15% of all apprenticeships, but the vast majority are in lower level engineering courses and barely any are in science and maths.”

Women in STEM Women are still chronically under-represented across all fields , making up just 14.4% of the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) workforce in the UK There are 74,421 women working in STEM management in the UK, roughly around 11.5% of the workforce. The figure has rose from 59,698 in 2014, marking an increase of 25%.

Conclusion A feel good programme Well evaluated by all participants Evidence of increased numbers in STEM at University Some evidence on wider gender progression Access to jobs with training a challenge at 16/17/18.