Science jobs are not all the same
One of the department’s key aims is to encourage more young people to consider a career in science. Research shows that the understanding of the careers available is generally poor and that the most common vision of a ‘scientist’ is someone who works in a lab in a white coat, probably undertaking research into something fairly obscure and distanced from everyday life. This is not surprising. Most publicly funded public engagement activity has focused on research and academia, and media coverage of ‘science’ is most commonly about research and breakthroughs. Many, within the science community, consider you need to be in the elite group of those with a Ph.D. to be considered a ‘scientist’.
A science professional may have a career as a scientist, in science or from science
Working as a scientist you will be in a S.T.E.M. environment and the role will be clearly recognized as a science role. Working ‘in’ science might be in a S.T.E.M. sector but will have moved away from direct day-to-day science and be influencing, supporting, promoting, managing, leading, and shaping. Scientists also move into the wider employment sector where their science knowledge and wider skills are also valued and these are ‘from’ science. Even within these broad categories, the roles differ. S.T.E.M. skills and knowledge are of course valuable in many types of non-S.T.E.M. businesses – marketing, modeling, product development, finance, insurance, communications, etc. but in the S.T.E.M. related business-to-business environments (e.g. pharmaceuticals marketing and IT services) a high level of technical and specialist knowledge is essential.
Education for a strong S.T.E.M. economy is built on strong subject teaching
The number and quality of lecturers recruited to train to teach S.T.E.M. subjects play a significant role in our success. As students progress, they require specialist knowledge to challenge them. S.T.E.M. subjects are usually taught individually, providing students with the benefit of specialist teaching. Effective provision of S.T.E.M. requires a foundation of strong subject teaching. Alongside this, our institution works hard to ensure that young people are aware of the range of opportunities that S.T.E.M. study opens up for them. A great degree of collaboration in the planning and delivery of S.T.E.M. activity is required. This in turn reflects the combination of scientific research, design and technology, innovative engineering, and the application of mathematics which enables inspirational technological advances such as greener energy generation or the development of new medical treatments. A well-qualified STEM workforce is crucial to business and industry.
S.T.E.M. education encompasses a whole range of experiences and skills
Graduates in S.T.E.M. subjects can expect to receive the highest salaries of all new recruits. And this message is clear across the S.T.E.M. education and training landscape. Our S.T.E.M. department helps to inform policymakers on the critical role that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education plays in competitiveness and future economic prosperity. S.T.E.M. education gives people skills that make them more employable and ready to meet the current labor demand. Each STEM component brings a valuable contribution to a well-rounded education. Science gives learners an in-depth understanding of the world around us.
Degree Schemes
Scientist Status
Highlights
