STEM
STEM at Sheffield Aero Club Brian Hope introduces Colin Anthony, a STEM Ambassador, who explains how STEM can attract young people into a career in aviation
W
hat is STEM? In a pastime where engineering is a prime activity, I guess most members of the LAA will know that STEM is an educational initiative designed to encourage young people to take an interest in the fundamental subjects for a career in science and technology, STEM being the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. The initiative started as long ago as 2001 in the US and has been taken up by a number of other countries since, including the UK. Here the scheme is run STEM Learning Limited, in partnership with government, charitable trusts and employers, and they work with schools, colleges and industry across the UK. The reason for the initiative is because it was recognised that there was a dire shortage of young people going forward into careers in science and technology, and this would inevitably have a negative effect on UK industry in our ever-more technological world.
The STEM Learning website (www.stem.org.uk) explains the opportunities for industry and associations to get involved in inspiring youngsters in understanding the opportunities that aviation has to offer in the science, technology and engineering fields. I will hand over to Colin Anthony to explain how the Sheffield Aero Club at Netherthorpe ran a successful STEM event in October last year.
Colin Anthony:
Below The six youngsters from the David Nieper Academy who enjoyed a day at Sheffield Aero Club to learn about STEM and aviation. Seen with flying instructor Christine Carlin.
“The demand for STEM skills in the UK has reached a critical point, and we are calling on businesses to join our efforts to grow the future STEM workforce.” When I read that quote from Stem Learning, it hit a chime with me and I wondered how I could help out, as I had entered the world of aerospace as a 16-year-old engineering apprentice with Rolls-Royce in 1990. I think like much volunteering work, you have to make it work for you too, you need to get something out of it. I decided to take the plunge and become a STEM Ambassador. This was a straightforward process and was completed online; along with completing a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check. This is also straightforward and done as part of the main application, if completed through STEM it is also free of charge, saving £40. STEM Ambassadorship is also free. Once you get the Ambassador’s ID card and DBS certificate, you can either start volunteering for STEM activities or creating your own. The events are published through the STEM website, where you register online, the activities range from going into schools to help with mock job interviews, or helping in STEM subjects, using practical activities or going to airshows to do interactive activities with visiting kids – and to answer your question, yes you do get free entry to the airshow as a STEM Ambassador! You can do your STEM activities as a team or as an individual. If you are working in a STEM sector, there is also a high probability that your boss will let you have the time off with full pay, it is up to five days per calendar year where I work. Once I was registered, I decided to review the online activities list, however, there was little to do with aircraft engineering or flying. There was some airport, RAF and museum involvement but was the sum of it. Although interesting, it was all based in the classroom, so I decided to plan and execute my own STEM activity day. I recently completed my first activity, delivered to six pupils of the
10 | LIGHT AVIATION | January 2020
LAA02.stem.V2.LB.indd 64
24/01/2020 12:07
