Showcase your industry. Inspire the next generation. Get involved in #STEMWest26!

There’s still time for employers to get involved in STEM West 2026, taking place on 16th & 17th November at West College Scotland, Clydebank Campus.

STEM West gives employers the opportunity to showcase their industry, connect with S2–S4 pupils and inspire the next generation of STEM talent.

We’re looking for employers to bring their industry to life through interactive hands on activities.

It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness of your sector and give young people a real insight into STEM careers.

Click here to register

You don’t need to attend both days. Joining us for one day would be fantastic!

Questions? Contact:
📧 jan.mcmahon@dywwest.co.uk

Recently, Scottish Leather Group welcomed pupils from Gryffe High School, St Benedict’s High School and Mary Russell School for talks and tours at their site in Bridge of Weir.

These experiences give young people a valuable insight into the workplace, helping them discover different career pathways and understand the opportunities available within local businesses.

A massive thank you to Rhona and the team at Scottish Leather Group for providing another fantastic experience for our young people and continuing to support the next generation of talent. 

Looking to strengthen your future workforce while making a positive impact on young people?

The DYW Pledge gives employers the opportunity to create meaningful connections with young people through activities such as work experience, apprenticeships, mentoring, industry talks and more!

Benefits of signing the pledge:

✅️ Gain new ideas and insight from a generationally diverse team
✅️ Help with recruitment, retention and succession planning
✅️ Develop and motivate existing staff
✅️ Raise awareness of your industry and organisation

Whatever the size of your organisation, we can support you every step of the way.

Find out more and sign the DYW Pledge today

Clydebank High School and St Peter the Apostle recently had the fantastic opportunity to take part in a talk and tour with CCG.

Pupils were given a guided tour of one of their sites and had the chance to get involved in hands on activities, offering a valuable insight into the construction industry.

It was a great opportunity for young people to explore the world of work and gain first hand experience of a live working environment.

Thank you to CCG for hosting our young people and providing such an engaging and inspiring experience.

This month’s Employer Spotlight is Fleming Construction, nominated by Kirstene Maclennan from Park Mains High School.

Fleming Construction has built a strong partnership with the school, providing work placements and supporting young people’s learning and development. Through this partnership, funding was secured to create a mobile construction hub, giving pupils the opportunity to practise trade skills and build experience for future careers.

This partnership highlights the positive impact employer engagement can have on young people’s futures.

Click here to read more

Our flagship STEM West event will return on the 16th & 17th November 2026 at West College Scotland, Clydebank campus.

The aim of the event is to inspire young people to choose STEM subjects at school and give employers the chance to showcase their company or industry. Last year, we welcomed over 800 pupils from four of our local authorities (West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, and Inverclyde) along with more than 50 exhibitors!

If you are an employer interested in showcasing your company and can bring along something interactive or hands on for S2–S4 pupils to engage with over the two days, then we’d love to hear from you. Even if you can only attend one of the days, it would be great to have you involved!

Interested in showcasing at STEM West 2026? Please click here to complete the form

Remember, this isn’t your usual careers event – we’re looking for something hands on and engaging to capture young people’s interest.

If you have any questions, please email:
clarke.speirs@dywwest.co.uk or jan.mcmahon@dywwest.co.uk

This month, we attended Renfrewshire Connect at Paisley Lagoon, where we hosted an exhibitor table and had the chance to speak to employers and organisations from across the region.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat with us. 

Our first ever employer spotlight employer is Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, nominated by Carla, School Coordinator at Clydebank High School.

Carla said that "SFRS offered our Young People within WDC an opportunity to experience a Firefighter For  Day FFAD offers young people a unique chance to step into the role of a firefighter  and experience the challenge, teamwork and responsibility that come with the job. Delivered by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service across West Dunbartonshire, this one-day programme is designed to be enjoyable, informative and confidence-building for all participants."

This fantastic initiative highlights the impact employers can have in inspiring and engaging young people through meaningful, real-world experiences.

Know an employer making a difference?
We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at info@dywwest.co.uk

We're inviting employers to take part in our Employer Takeover Campaign across our socials.

This is a great opportunity to showcase your organisation, highlight career pathways and inspire young people by sharing real insights into your industry.

We're looking to film short, engaging video content with apprentices/staff.

Ideas include:
Behind the scenes or day in the life clips
Role spotlights 
Quick Q&As
Myth-busting your industry
Career pathway tips

If you're interested in taking part then please email info@dywwest.co.uk.

Click here to watch our employer takeovers

Another successful three weeks of the GROW programme, featuring a diverse range of engaging sessions delivered by a fantastic mix of employers.

Host employers and participating schools included:

Centrica – Knightswood Secondary
Fare Share - St Peter the Apostle
Opos Ltd - Inverclyde Academy
Barrhead Housing - St Lukes High School
Cloch Housing - Inverclyde Academy
Terumo Aortic - St Lukes High School
NRS - St Columbas High School
BAE Systems - Linwood HS
SFRS -Knightswood Secondary
Morgan Stanley - SPTA
DXC - Knightswood Secondary
Arnold Clark - SPTA
The Wyllieum - Inverclyde Academy
Opos Ltd - St Lukes
Beacon Arts - St Columbas HS
Easterhouse Sports Centre - Linwood HS
 
We appreciate the continued support and commitment from all participating schools and employers.