TechFest’s STEM in the Pipeline has received Gold Level Quality Accreditation from Developing the Young Workforce North East (DYW), in recognition of the programme’s ability to inspire young people to pursue STEM careers.
The accreditation, of which TechFest secured the top ranking, demonstrates to schools that STEM in the Pipeline is a sustainable programme which has a positive impact on its participants and helps develop skills for the workplace.
STEM subjects include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
STEM in the Pipeline has been running in Aberdeen for more than 10 years and challenges secondary school pupils to use their knowledge and skills to solve a problem which is relevant to the oil and gas industry.
The project offers a real insight into working in the energy sector with the final event requiring the pupils to present their research and findings to industry professionals.
This year the programme was extended to Shetland and the Central Belt, thanks to funding from the Oil and Gas Authority.
TechFest’s managing director Sarah Chew said: “We work hard to provide school pupils with opportunities that demonstrate how the STEM subjects they study in the classroom can be applied in a range of sectors and STEM in the Pipeline is a great example of this.
“We are very pleased to receive this accreditation from DYW which not only recognises the quality of the programme, but also acknowledges how it engages young people with STEM and provides real industry insight.
“It’s a huge honour and we’re very grateful to each of our sponsors who support the programme and continue to help us inspire the future of so many children across Aberdeen City and Shire.”
DYW, which is a project funded by the Scottish Government, works to strengthen links between education and business to help young people prepare for the world of work.
DYW North East’s manager, Rachel Elliott, said: “STEM in the Pipeline plays a vital role in inspiring young people as we try to encourage more senior pupils to enter into STEM careers.
“The programme has demonstrated a significant impact on the number of young people participating to strengthen their future education, training, and employment prospects.”
Delivered by TechFest, STEM in the Pipeline is supported by BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain, the Energy Institute and the University of Aberdeen.
Laura Easton, Chevron Upstream Europe’s Stakeholder Engagement and Social Investment advisor, said: "We have supported STEM in the Pipeline since its inception and it has gone from strength to strength over the years. Receiving gold level quality accreditation further reinforces the role the programme is having in helping pupils from across Scotland connect what they are learning in the classroom with the real world application in the industry.
“We know that tomorrow's Chevron employees are today's schoolchildren and developing a strong understanding of STEM subjects will provide them with a broad base for their future careers. More than that, the soft skills they gain while participating in the programme – including teamwork, communication, problem-solving and producing creative solutions – are also particularly attractive to prospective employers.
“Through our support, we hope to not only encourage and inspire pupils to consider the energy sector as a future career path, but also provide real-life experiences that will positively impact their learning.”
TechFest is a charitable organisation based in Aberdeen and aims to inspire young people about STEM. The STEM in the Pipeline programme practices young people’s knowledge of the STEM subjects, and how they can be applied to the oil and gas industry.
Each year, TechFest also runs the highly popular TechFest science festival which attracts tens of thousands of children and adults to a series of STEM-based events in and around Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, as well as a year-round programme of educational events for schools and young people.
For more information, please visit www.techfestsetpoint.org.uk