CEIAG/STEM Teacher Placement Briefing
Dec 16, 2015
CEIAG/STEM
Teacher Placement Briefing
Expected Outcomes
By the end of the day participants will have: an understanding of the STEM agenda an understanding of the importance of
thorough preparation to ensure a relevant and successful placement
discussed and agreed their placement objectives
completed a Placement Agreement Form
Why STEM?
Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics
UCAS:
5.5% decline in STEM courses from 05/06 to 06/07
In the last decade:
31% decline in in students taking Maths, Chemistry and Physics at A-Level
Association for Science Education (ASE):
“90% of 14 and 15 year-olds know little or nothing about careers in Engineering and Technology”
Warning Over Skills Gap
“The downward trend in the number of students that are taking up STEM disciplines is very worrying as a skills shortage makes it harder to attract new investments in Northern Ireland”
Martin Murphy, MD, Hewlett Packard
Belfast Telegraph 03/11/08
Programme for Government
Primary focus on growing the economy 80% of foreign direct investment in NI in 2008 in:
ICT Business and Financial Services Pharmaceutical Industries Aerospace Sectors
To compete in a global market need to enhance uptake of STEM subjects in schools
Ensure our people have the right skills to deliver economic prosperity now and in the future and increase skills and career choices in STEM subjects (PSA 2:Skills for prosperity)
PSA 2: SKILLS FOR PROSPERITY
Targets: 1. Increase by 5% the numbers studying STEM
subjects in Post 16 cohort by 2011
2. Increase by 25% the numbers of students, especially those from disadvantaged communities, at graduate and postgraduate level studying STEM subjects by 2015. (=extra 1600 STEM graduates each year for the next 7 years)
Urban Myth or Personal Experience?
Students’ Views
…toodifficult
Limit my
career choices …not
interesting or
enjoyable
PSA 2: SKILLS FOR PROSPERITY
Actions: Take steps to increase uptake of STEM
subjects Highlight STEM Career Opportunities and Pathways
Increase links with local industry to promote STEM Ensure learning & teaching is planned and delivered in a
relevant and enjoyable way Linking subject content and skills to real life
(Key Element: Employability)
www.futuremorph.org
Career Options: Raptor Biologist
Today’s students & parents are unaware of the range of STEM related career opportunities
Career Options: Raptor Biologist
Uses of Maths and Science:
“Vets and biologists both fall into the category of needing to go and get qualified”
“Measuring the abundance of small animals”
Career Options: Glass Artist
Today’s students & parents are unaware of the range of STEM related career opportunities
Career Options: Glass Artist
Uses of Maths and Science:
“Using dichroics and electroplated glass”
“Enjoyed Science” “It’s important to be
able to use maths and understand maths….”
Career Options: Weather Forecaster
Today’s students & parents are unaware of the range of STEM related career opportunities
Career Options: Weather Forecaster
Use of Maths and Science:
“Physics comes into play in a lot of different parts of weather forecasting”
Career Options: Theatre Technician
Today’s students & parents are unaware of the range of STEM related career opportunities
Uses of science and maths:
laws of physics, to work out how to move heavy props
knowledge of materials’ properties, to deduce what to make the set from
He works and communicates with people, such as: lighting engineers, sound engineers, set designers and set builders
Career Options: Theatre Technician
Keeping Options Open
STEM Subjects: widen options rather than narrow them:
Demand for STEM skilled individuals expected to grow dramatically in the future
Open up career opportunities in other occupational sectors
Develop employability skills (TS & PC and CCS) often lead to higher paid jobs
PricewaterhouseCoopers research 2005 often lead to opportunities to work abroad
solving environmental problems developing local solutions
CEIAG STEM
STEM Teacher Placements can assist in: forging links with local employers to support future STEM
activities within your school sourcing materials for the development of STEM
teaching and learning resources developing greater awareness of how aspects of your
STEM subject might be applied in an industrial context identifying key employability skills sought by employers
as well as potential employment opportunities for pupils following STEM related pathways
The Future is in Your Hands
“Young children show an initial enthusiasm … which tapers off by the time they reach secondary education”
(Report by Chemical Industry Education Centre, University of York)