Title: STEM Courses and Careers – See where they can take you…….

Date: 3rd June

Time:11am-12 noon (1 hour)

Teachers, tutors and advisers can make a real difference to students’ awareness of STEM careers. April saw the launch of a new resource pack as part of the national STEM strategy. Join me for a webinar on 3rd June to explore the background to the national campaign and ways of equipping professionals to broaden students’ understanding of the options open to them in STEM. It will give participants a practical dip into the CEIAG pack and help:-

• Explore ways of challenging preconceptions and prejudices
• Identify inspirational group work materials and positive role models
• Offer a gateway to a wide range of supporting resources and activities

Please take part in the webinar and support improved awareness of STEM careers.

To book your FREE place e-mail in the STEM Support Team.

For more information go to:-

https://emstempartnership.org.uk/blog/post/2009/04/01/New-STEM-Careers-Education-Information-Advice-and-Guidance-Pack.aspx

Guest Blogger: Claire Nix, VT Enterprise, STEM Subject Choice and Careers Project

 

The fourth East Midlands STEM Partnership Forum Event, STEM – Working Locally, will take place on Wednesday 29 April 2009 at the Henry Ford Centre, Loughborough.  It will be a half a day event (9.00am-1.30pm) showcasing STEM projects and there will be an opportunity for delegates to build on the success of the county and city groups - working together to increase impact regionally.  The event will finish with lunch and networking opportunities.

To book your place, register at www.stemforumevent.eventbrite.com

If you would like to exhibit at the event please email .

Please feel free to forward the above link to colleagues that may be interested in attending.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Online Event Registration - Powered by www.eventbrite.com

(Left to right: Liam Mullen and Josh Skilton, Trinity School.  Cameron Watson, West Bridgford Comprehensive School)

There are many things I expect to write about in relation to STEM activities – I just never thought it would be about thousands of zombies… 

On Friday, we braved the cold and accompanied 3 Student STEM Reporters to GameCity 3, the Videogame festival designed to bring the people who make games, together with the people who love them. 

After meeting in the Market Square, the students were given their press passes and GameCity Passport, for VIP access for the day.  The students’ first stop was Malt Cross. Here we investigated a number of award wining games at the Indiecade International Festival of Independent Games.  We met the creator of Machinarium, who took us through the process of how he designed the story of a little robot who has been unjustly thrown out to the scrap yard behind the city. 

After chatting to real life designers, we headed up to the ‘View from the Top’ gallery for a ‘hands-on workshop’ by North Nottingham E-Learning centre, to learn how to design and make our own game. 

We then went back to the Market Square to see Nottingham’s army of Zombies gathering to attempt to break the world record of total number of zombies gathered in one place.  This record, amazingly, was broken!! 1,227 zombies turned out in the Square to dance to Michael Jackson’s Thriller (199 more than the previous attempt). 

After an inspirational day as press officers, the students departed to work on their reports – so watch out for these.  In the meantime, for more information about this great festival visit www.gamecity.org.

I recently attended the Shaping Your Future website launch at emda, Nottingham, which was opened by Andrew Morgan, Skills and Communities Director, emda.  The website was unveiled in front of eager partners, many of whom had steered its direction during its development.   

Project Manager Neil Raven spoke about the challenges they have overcome to produce the website, including the data gathering of over 11,400 courses, and the development of the logo, which was part of a competition and developed by a student. Overall, the website is a great resource to help students, providers, and businesses with educational options – see www.yourfuture-eastmidlands.co.uk. 

The event included workshops, giving partners the opportunity to comment on the site, all of which will help steer the site during its development.  Guest speaker, David Moorcroft, OBE, gave an inspiring talk about his paths in sport and education, when he rounded up the event.

 

Happy Birthday… East Midlands STEM Partnership turns one!! 

East Midlands STEM Partnership turns one, its crazy to think that the STEM Partnership has made its first birthday – what a milestone.  Discussing it in the STEM Support Team office we though that it is a milestone to be celebrated – hence the cake!! During our recent STEM Steering Group meeting, we shared the cake with key partners who have helped shape the Partnership to where it stands today! 

Looking back over the past 12 months, we have come a long way since the first Forum Event on October 14^th 2007.  In the past year, we have developed a brand for the Partnership, developed a website, have recruited over 350 Partners, held two Forum Events, one STEM Student Journalist briefing session, two teleconference meetings and have supported other STEM initiatives including the Space Academy and Ignition programmes. 

We would like this opportunity to thank our Partners for all of their continued help and support over the 12 months and we look forward to working with you all in the future to continue to develop and grow the East Midlands STEM Partnership.   

And yes… In case you are wondering the cake tasted great!!