Hundreds of pupils from across the West Region (Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire) ventured to the Clydebank Campus of West College Scotland for STEM West 2019 which is organised by the Scottish Government funded Developing the Young Workforce West regional group (DYW West) in partnership with their host organisation West College Scotland. 600 secondary pupils attended engaging with 40 exhibitors offering information and interactive activities to help inspire them to consider STEM related careers and subject choices at school.
Now in its 3rd year the annual STEM event (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) attracted a diverse range of employers including NHS GGC, Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, Thales and many others.
Commenting on the event DYW West Director Bob Davidson said, “This is our largest event of the year and I would like to thank the college, the employers & schools for all their support with the event. All of the employers that attend represent sectors identified as having future growth, with many having positions for school leavers now or in the near future such as modern or graduate apprenticeships. It is a great opportunity for young people & teachers to engage with industry in a fun way to learn more about what they could do on leaving school and how STEM subjects can help them, the routes to that job and the skills and qualifications they would need.”
We were delighted to welcome the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, Jamie Hepburn MSP along on the 2nd day who commented “STEM is an integral part of our future economic and social development, and it is vital that we nurture strong relationships between employers and educational establishments through the Developing the Young Workforce Programme. This event is a wonderful opportunity to do that and for young people to explore the opportunities STEM subjects offer.”
Bob further commented by saying “we are always seeking organisations of all sizes & sectors to get involved with DYW. We can help companies with their workforce planning, future talent pipeline and increasing awareness of their industry & opportunities to young people, teachers and families. Please get in touch with DYW West if you would like to find out more about how together we can help young people better prepare for the world of work”
Once again we'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone who came across both days we couldn't have done it without you! To see images of the event see our social media channels!