Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Ferndown Upper School STEM Careers event and an event at Grange School launching their Post 16 Engineering Programme.  

The event at the Grange School was the final consultation with industry to ensure that the course provision would align with their needs. The outcome is a pilot programme running at the school from September 2018 for a new one-year apprenticeship programme run in conjunction with local engineering companies. This scheme focuses on helping pupils to build the necessary skills for a successful transition to industry - this is a great step forward for the needs of both young people and local businesses.

Ferndown Upper highlighted the importance of STEM-based careers to their pupils by inviting around 40 local companies to a STEM-focused careers event. The employers involved all reported an excellent level of interest in STEM careers from the pupils, and I personally found it great to meet and advise those pupils targeting a career in engineering.

As I have been working closely with Christchurch and East Dorset Council to encourage an industry-led approach to STEM education I’m delighted that these forward-thinking establishments are taking on board industry feedback. It is certainly very encouraging to see schools working hard to ensure that their courses align with the needs of industry which enable their students to develop the skills that will make them very employable.

If you’d like more information on the pilot programme or how you can support local students pursuing engineering please get in touch at pburden@kdcresource.com.