Five schools and colleges in Cambridge joined a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) pathfinder programme in September 2015, designed to support students to develop key employability skills through direct interaction with employers.
The pathfinder programme is a compact version of the full Career Ready programme and enables 50 students in Cambridge to take part in group mentoring, masterclasses and workplace visits with employers in the STEM industries, putting employers at the forefront of careers education.
The full Career Ready programme will launch in the region from September 2016.
Sian Hiskey was recently appointed as Career Ready Regional Manager for Cambridge and Peterborough to support the programme and develop further links between schools and colleges, and employers. Sian said: “We are delighted to be working in Cambridge and to be helping to promote the vital work of STEM employers in the region to their potential future employees. Career Ready is committed to increasing the number of young people going into careers in science, technology and engineering and this pathfinder programme is a fantastic step forward for Cambridge.”
One of the students on our programme, Elliot Green from Long Road Sixth Form, has already found value in the programme. He said: ‘Working with career ready has given me the opportunity to network with employers and gain an insight into the world of work, and it has given me opportunities to stand up and speak to new people which has had a very beneficial impact on my interaction with employers!’
There are currently more than 800 students studying STEM subjects and undertaking the Career Ready programme. Of the 441 students graduating from the programme in 2015, 41 percent are girls. Career Ready is also a signatory to the Your Life campaign to encourage more girls to take up STEM careers.
All students on the Pathfinder will take part in a graduation ceremony in July 2016, attended by local employers, which will act as a further networking opportunity for students taking part in the programme.
If your organisation is interested in supporting young people across Cambridgeshire to access a career in a STEM industry, please contact Sian Hiskey who would be delighted to hear from you.