From 9th – 13th August, over 200 students (the majority of whom already achieved their Industrial Cadets Bronze Level award) took part in our virtual Tech Work Experience, earning themselves their Silver Level award. We were excited to work with so many fantastic partners from some of the leading industrial companies including Sky, Camwood, GE, Leidos, Profusion, Thales, Vodafone, FACT Liverpool, Collins Aerospace and Babcock.
Each day we focused on a topic with different companies supporting the day:
Day 1: Digital with Sky
Day 2: Technology with Camwood, GE & Vodafone
Day 3: Cyber Security and AI with Profusion, Thales & Leidos
Day 4: Project day with multiple companies
Day 5: Industrial Cadets Gradation Day
Throughout the week, students had the opportunity to meet industry experts, role models and alumni’s who provided a unique insight into the tech industry. At the end of each day, we had a live Q&A session where students had the chance to ask questions.
Young people who were a part of the experience had already gained their Industrial Cadets Bronze level award through our Routes into STEM programme. We were delighted that hundreds of young people, not bound by geography, have been able to take part in our online Tech Work Experience earning themselves yet another Industrial Cadets award as a result.
EDT School Programmes Coordinator, Biva Ouro said:
“I think every young person should experience the world beyond their classroom, as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, background, ability or circumstances.
And it’s my sincere opinion that these virtual experiences have been the best way to not only access these young people wherever they may be in the UK, but also provide these young people with great learning tools and opportunities, in just a week, to learn and understand the world of work through people from the STEAM industry. It’s been very good to see how engaged young people have been on the platform asking questions about courses they should take, what grades they should have, and what areas of Tech they’d like to go into. It’s been a very successful week.”
Here are what some of the students had to say about the day:
“Thank you for this opportunity, I learned so much about career paths and it really helped me appreciate that I don’t have to have a linear career path. The piece of advice I will really remember that you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room’ which shows how open to learning you have to be.” Tech WEX Student
“I have learnt so much on this course and after live session yesterday I have decided I would like to become a mechanical engineer. The CV session was very useful. Thank you” Tech WEX Student
“It was a relief for stigma about STEM was addressed, and the variety of with technical and non-technical jobs has helped me broaden ideas of what I want to do in the future” Tech WEX Student
“I’d say my favourite part of the week has been the Q&A sessions. The conversations were natural, engaging and have definitely enhanced my knowledge of the wide variety of choices in STEM” Tech WEX Student
We’re pleased that we can offer a multi-interaction approach to learning, providing a unique insight into industry and careers and preparing young people for their future. We aim to spread our engagement with young people across the UK and also enable us to involve a more diverse range of employer mentors in our activities, ensuring that young people of all backgrounds can "see themselves" in STEM through EDT. We could not have made the week such a success without our supporters who joined us throughout the week.
Harrison Drayton, Babcock International Group said:
It is clear from the students’ feedback that this event has helped many of them choose career paths they’d not initially considered, or even just opened their eyes to different careers/pathways within STEM. It’s also good to see that the message of “not being the smartest person in the room” has gotten across to the students’.
Teddy Ng’onga, GE said:
I think this week has benefitted the students by giving them a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset. A growth mindset opens their thinking and lets them know that even if they don’t know everything, they can learn anything.
I’m hoping that working with you will encourage more young people to pursue careers in tech, whether it be a technical career or not. Technology is not just the future but it is also the present, we need more and more young people in the tech industry.
We’d like to thank all our supporters, young people and guests who made this experience happen.
