1. CEIAG/STEM Teacher Placement Briefing

2. 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

3. Why STEM? Science Technology Engineering Mathematics

4. UCAS: 5.5% decline in STEM courses from 05/06 to 06/07

5. In the last decade: 31% decline in in students taking Maths, Chemistry and Physics at A-Level

6. Association for Science Education (ASE): “90% of 14 and 15 year-olds know little or nothing about careers in Engineering and Technology”

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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)

10. Urban Myth or Personal Experience?

11. Students’ Views …too difficult Limit my career choices …not interestin g or enjoyable

12. 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)

13. www.futuremorph.org

14. Career Options: Raptor Biologist Today’s students & parents are unaware of the range of STEM related career opportunities

15. 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”

16. Career Options: Glass Artist Today’s students & parents are unaware of the range of STEM related career opportunities

17. 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….”

18. Career Options: Weather Forecaster Today’s students & parents are unaware of the range of STEM related career opportunities

19. Career Options: Weather Forecaster Use of Maths and Science: “Physics comes into play in a lot of different parts of weather forecasting”

20. Career Options: Theatre Technician Today’s students & parents are unaware of the range of STEM related career opportunities

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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)