EBP South’s Virtual Inspiring STEM Careers Event is a Huge Success

 

After a challenging year of Covid restrictions being brought in and lasting longer than many thought they would, alongside school bubbles and isolations, EBP South against the odds has transformed their services and delivered, Inspiring STEM Careers, the final large-scale virtual event of the academic year.

Inspiring STEM Careers, a hugely anticipated event, was delivered to 411 students from secondary schools across the Hampshire region, to engage, educate and inspire them into STEM Careers. The event was supported by 10 businesses who delivered 24 STEM activities throughout the day.

Procter and Gamble said, ’Working with EBP to inform & inspire the next generation of students about STEM has been wonderful – especially when you can see the young people engaging with answers & questions. To be able to continue this during the pandemic has been brilliant.”

“EBP organised and executed a great event, that was easy to engage with as a company. STEM outreach is something I’m passionate about and hopefully we’ve introduced a whole new group of students to a whole world of exciting STEM careers & ways to access them. Inspiring the next generation is key as a company to ensure we have the next generation of leaders coming into the STEM field’’

Students were able to explore careers in STEM through STEM activities designed and led by business volunteers. Streamed directly into the classrooms, the volunteers were also able to support the students and answer questions throughout.

The students watched demonstrations including how to make conditioner and prototyping of a new product using 3D printing, by P&G. UL enabled students to experience interactive fire investigation training, to identify the faulty consumer product that caused a fire. Students also took part in an escape room themed challenge and had to solve 5 STEM career related puzzles to ‘Catch a Convict’, run by AWE.

Inspiring STEM Careers is part of EBP South’s pipeline of established STEM activities and events delivered to young people at key stages throughout their education, with the support of pro-active businesses.

89% of the students said they had learnt about new STEM careers that they had never heard of before. EBP South’s STEM events help to influence future employees into STEM careers by overcoming pre-conceived perceptions of job roles and by creating interactive opportunities for young people to believe in themselves and realise that they can pursue a STEM career.

Many thanks go to our forward-thinking supporters who have worked with us during this academic year to deliver this inspirational event. The headline supporters of Inspiring STEM Careers were P&G, Solent LEP and SUN. With additional supporters B&DBC, AWE, UL, ThermoFisher Scientific, Fujitsu, Morgan Sindall and Thames Water were also key sponsors of the event.