Jennifer Lobo from our Trans Pennine STEM Ambassador Hub shares some great examples of jobs which might get students to take a closer look at STEM careers.
Science Capital research has found that ‘most students find science interesting’ but you’ve probably heard lots of students say ‘STEM isn’t a career for me’. There are many reasons why they might think this, but there are a world of exciting opportunities available in STEM which students often aren't aware of. One way to improve young people’s awareness of STEM careers, and broaden their career aspirations, is by providing opportunities for them to meet new people working in these careers.
So how about working with animals, or 'robotic laser machines'? For National Careers Week we spoke to four STEM Ambassadors about their career.
Shannon is a Veterinary Surgeon at Alphavet Veterinary Centre and is a STEM Ambassador in West England.
What was your dream job when you were 10 years old?- I always wanted to be a vet!
- What do you do now and why is your area of STEM important?
- I am a vet! I treat sick and injured pets. I also help look after other pets to make sure they stay healthy. Studying science at school is essential if you want to become a vet. Science formed a large part of my studies at university, and I still use a lot of what I learnt in my job today.
- What do you do day to day?
- My typical working day involves consulting (examining pets during appointments) and carrying out operations. I might dispense medications, write prescriptions, or carry out further investigations such as blood tests. Sometimes I admit pets for treatment or for other diagnostic tests, such as x-rays or scans. The best part of my job is when I help a sick pet become healthy again!
- What do you think your job will look like in the future?
- I would like to study further and possibly specialise in medicine, as this is the area of my work that I find most interesting. I would also like to explore more opportunities to mentor new vets and student vets/vet nurses.
Richard is a Project Engineer at Parker Hannifin Manufacturing Ltd - Bioscience Filtration and is a STEM Ambassador in the North East of England.
What was your dream job when you were 10 years old?- When I was 10, I wanted to be a Jedi.
- What do you do now and why is your area of STEM important?
- I work with customers to help ensure they have effective filtration systems in place. This means that the food and drinks that they make are fresh and tasty and do not make us ill. Filtration is an essential part of ensuring that your food, drinks and medicines are not spoiled by bacteria or germs that could enter the manufacturing process.
- What do you do day to day?
- A typical day would start at 8:30am and finish at 5pm. My job is mainly office based where I work closely with the engineering, purchasing and marketing teams to develop products and make sure all the right information is available to support them in the market. On occasion I am able to travel to visit customers and suppliers based in the UK and Europe, which has enabled me to visit some countries I otherwise would not have seen.
- What do you think your job will look like in the future?
- We are experiencing exciting times with new and evolving technologies like 3D printing, virtual and augmented reality. I would like to see advancement in these technologies where they that they can be used more constructively. For example, instead of just seeing a drawing of a product, imagine seeing it in 3D and being able to see how it could fit into a customer’s process virtually
Lauren is a Site Engineer at Galliford Try and a STEM Ambassador in the North Midlands, South and East Yorkshire.
What was your dream job when you were 10 years old?- When I was 10 I really wanted to be a Vet or an Actress.
- What do you do now and why is your area of STEM important?
- I build roads and bridges; you might have even walked on one! Site engineers make sure that every bridge, building and road is safe for you to use.
- What do you do day to day?
- The first thing I do in the morning is put on my uniform. I wear orange hi-vis trousers, top and a hard hat. Then I take my Robotic Laser machine (called a Robotic Total Station) and I head outside onto the construction site. I spend the rest of the day showing co-workers where to build different aspects of a road, including drainage pipes, kerbs and walls. Then I make sure they’re being built safely and survey what has been built. I survey what we’ve built because some things, like pipes, get buried underground and we might need to find them in the future. I love being outside in the fresh air and luckily I get to spend lots of time outdoors in my job.
- What do you think your job will look like in the future?
- In the future I think I could be using drones to do my surveys instead of a Robotic Total Station. I’d like to see the construction industry become carbon neutral. Maybe in the future we could not only have electric cars but also have electric excavators!
Julie is a Health and Safety Trainer at Cavendish Nuclear and is a STEM Ambassador in the North Midlands, South and East Yorkshire.
What was your dream job when you were 10 years old? - I wanted to be a Nurse but soon realised that I was not keen on the sight of blood.
- What do you do now and why is your area of STEM important?
- I am a teacher for adult learning sessions. I make the learning interactive and informative, so people get the best out of the learning experience. If we did not have technology and new ways of doing things and people working on new ways to make improvements as a nation we would not move forward.
- What do you do day to day?
- I work with health and safety legislation to build training sessions to deliver to adults to explain the harm and injuries that people might get whilst they are working. My job allows me to give people knowledge using the most up to date technology so they understand the hazards and risks that people at work might encounter. Using exercises and discussions this allows adults to find solutions to issues they may be subject to at work and use that knowledge at home to keep safe. My job is similar to your teachers at your school.
- What do you think your job will look like in the future?
- I believe that in the future technology will continue to transform workplace learning and professional development will become an integral aspect of every job, at every level. Technology is now allowing for virtual training with virtual role plays and simulations which can include video links. Forward thinking businesses are already embracing these techniques especially with Covid-19 virus. I think that virtual learning will become common place in the future.
Looking for more resources during National Careers Week? Take a look at what's on offer: