Professionals from SPARC (Sustainable Power, Renewables and Construction) industries attended Pembrokeshire College recently for the SPARC Industry Training Day, which was designed to equip industry professionals with the tools to engage young female minds in STEM over the next year.
The event prepared local industry to deliver interactive, inspiring sessions for 12-14 year-old females, encouraging them to consider careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
“With the ongoing challenge of female underrepresentation in these fields – only 24% of STEM roles and just 12% of engineering positions in the UK are filled by women – SPARC Alliance is committed to changing this landscape,” commented Dr Mark Picton, RWE, Celtic Sea / Pembroke Net Zero Centre.
Pembrokeshire College’s Teaching and Learning team engaged delegates in a session on effective planning using AI tools, icebreakers and knowledge-building activities. However, the scene was set with some sobering statistics around the challenges faced by young learners in Pembrokeshire today.
Rachel Turner, Professional Learning Manager, commented: “In 2021/22, Pembrokeshire had the 4th highest percentage of children living in relative poverty. This is just one of the reasons why national and local companies like RWE, the Port of Milford Haven, and Insite Technical must engage with young people to inspire ambition and drive success for Pembrokeshire.”
“It was great to get together with others keen to promote opportunities for young female learners in low carbon energy industries where they are underrepresented. The context, tips and tools presented by the fantastic education experts from Pembrokeshire College will be invaluable when we interact with the learners, and will be pretty useful in my day job too!” Ben Williams, Development Manager, RWE Renewables.
The enthusiasm from Monday’s session is already translating into excitement for the upcoming school year. SPARC is asking participants to deliver two to three sessions over the course of 2024/25, ensuring that industry professionals play an active role in encouraging young females to explore STEM careers.
The SPARC Alliance is funded by: Blue Gem Wind, Floventis, Ledwood Engineering, The Port of Milford Haven, RWE Renewables, Pembrokeshire College, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Swansea Bay City Deal.
