Powering Futures: SSEN Subsea and SmartSTEMs Partnership Impact
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Subsea (SSEN) joined forces with SmartSTEMs to ignite a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in remote and rural communities across the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Through events in Inverness, Shetland, and Orkney during 2023-24, this partnership has brought STEM education to the heart of these communities, inspiring future innovators and building closer ties between industry, education, and local residents.
Inspiring the Next Generation Interactive workshops, engaging speakers, and hands-on activities made STEM come alive for hundreds of pupils. SSEN volunteers, passionate advocates of the energy sector, guided young participants through STEM topics, sharing real insights from their own careers and projects. This direct engagement didn’t just teach pupils about STEM—it sparked genuine curiosity and ambition.
Building Community Beyond the Classroom The impact of this partnership extended well beyond the classroom. By providing goodie bags filled with practical tools and career information, SSEN offered students a tangible reminder of STEM’s possibilities and strengthened the bond with local families. These efforts help to create a sense of belonging and showed that industry is invested in the future of these communities.
Creating a Legacy of Opportunity The events have left a lasting impact. Over 600 pupils from 18 schools engaged in over 2,600 hours of STEM learning, discovering how STEM careers can shape real-world solutions and inspire critical thinking. Beyond the immediate event, SSEN’s presence showcased a range of exciting STEM careers, bridging the gap between education and local employment opportunities. This connection has encouraged pupils to consider STEM pathways, enriching the relationship between SSEN and the island communities and building mutual trust and support.
A Pathway to a Brighter Future The partnership between SSEN Subsea and SmartSTEMs has left an indelible mark on Scotland’s Highlands and Islands. By inspiring young minds, promoting STEM learning, and strengthening community connections, SSEN and SmartSTEMs have set the stage for a future where innovation thrives, paving the way for long-term community growth and prosperity.
SmartSTEMs Takes Off: Inspiring the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals
SmartSTEMs partnered with Connected Places Catapult on the Connected Airports: Glasgow Future Skills project. This initiative aimed to excite young people about careers in Scotland’s aviation industry. Through interactive events, industry interaction, and the creation of educational resources, the project successfully connected students with potential career paths.
Engaging Students in Aviation
The program delivered a series of well-received events at Glasgow Kelvin College and Ayrshire College. Over 200 students, ranging from senior high school pupils (S5-6) to foundation apprentices and college students, participated in these events. Students learned about diverse aviation careers and had the chance to interact directly with industry professionals. Engaging lesson plans were also created for schools, sparking an interest in aviation amongst younger students.
Project Highlights
Lesson Plan Development: Two Scotland-specific lesson plans were created, one for primary schools and another for secondary schools. These resources aim to ignite a passion for aviation and related STEM fields.
College Events: Successful events held at Glasgow Kelvin College and Ayrshire College provided a platform for students to explore career options, ask questions during industry talks, and gain valuable insights from professionals.
Industry Engagement: Ten aviation partner companies participated in the project. They showcased exciting opportunities like modern apprenticeships, graduate apprenticeships, and entry-level roles. Students participated in Q&A sessions with industry experts, gaining valuable knowledge about career progression, future trends, and emerging technologies.
“Navigating Innovation” Challenge: A unique challenge titled “Navigating Innovation: Balancing Creativity and Compliance” was designed for each event. This activity focused on promoting creative problem-solving within aviation regulations, emphasising the importance of ethical decision-making. This activity was tailored towards students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) qualifications.
Measurable Impact
The project delivered significant benefits for students, colleges, and the aviation industry:
- Increased Awareness: Over 200 students gained exposure to the diverse and dynamic world of aviation careers.
- Industry Connections: Direct interaction with industry professionals provided students with invaluable career insights and the opportunity to build lasting connections.
- Collaboration and Sustainability: Both colleges expressed interest in future collaboration. Ayrshire College plans to rerun the event in January 2025, while Kelvin College explores joint ventures with West College for future aviation events. The project’s success has also established connections with organisations like BA, Loganair, and Spirit Aerosystems, paving the way for their participation in future events.
- Educational Resources: The created lesson plans offer valuable teaching tools for Scottish educators, enriching aviation education in schools.
Location Snapshot
The project funding from Connected Places Catapult enabled SmartSTEMs to deliver these events to students from various schools across East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, South Ayrshire, and North Ayrshire.
Looking Ahead: A Thriving Aviation Industry
This project successfully ignited a passion for aviation careers amongst young people. By creating valuable educational resources, increasing industry awareness amongst students, and establishing a foundation for continued collaboration with colleges and industry partners, the project has a lasting impact. SmartSTEMs remains committed to building upon this success and inspiring the next generation of aviation professionals.
Positive Feedback
Student feedback reflects the project’s success. One participant expressed their gratitude and newfound inspiration to pursue a career in aviation. This project is a prime example of SmartSTEMs’ dedication to connecting young people with exciting career opportunities and building a future generation of skilled professionals across all pillars of STEM.
Dervla’s Story: A New Pathway Discovered with SmartSTEMs
Dervla’s journey highlights the transformative potential of SmartSTEMs events in helping young people reimagine their future. Before attending the SmartSTEMs Inspire event with Nine Twenty Engineering in September 2019, Dervla was focused on a career in the arts, spending hours each week immersed in drawing and dreaming of becoming an animator or illustrator. However, that single event sparked a newfound interest in STEM that reshaped her academic and career ambitions.
A Change of Direction: Inspired by Connections The turning point for Dervla came through engaging with industry professionals, including a recent J.P. Morgan graduate who shared an enthusiastic vision of technology’s impact and the range of career paths within it. Another pivotal moment was hearing Gillian Docherty OBE speak about data science’s role in space exploration, broadening Dervla’s understanding of the vast possibilities in STEM.
“I remember gaining a brand-new insight into the world of STEM. It gave me the chance to meet a range of STEM professionals and learn about the varied careers they pursue. Until then, I hadn’t fully realised just how exciting a STEM career could be, which led me to consider following that path.”
An Evolving Passion with Ambitious Goals Since then, Dervla’s interest has grown into a love of computer science, especially AI and algorithm design. She has attended a Computer Science accelerator course at the University of Cambridge, where she developed a predictive model to help educators gauge student emotions from writing samples. Additionally, she received the Hopper Award from dressCODE last year. Dervla’s involvement with SmartSTEMs has not only introduced her to a new field but also influenced her choice of subjects for her National 5s, with a focus on computing science, space, and data science as potential career routes. Predicted to achieve top grades in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Computing Science, Biology, English, Psychology, and PE, she plans to advance to Higher courses in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Computing Science, and English.
I hope to attend an Oxbridge university after school to pursue a degree in computer science. I’d like to follow this with postgraduate study, aiming for a career in academia. I’m excited by the future of computer science and believe it holds many exciting opportunities.
A Lasting Impact: Inspiring Others Dervla’s story demonstrates how SmartSTEMs can ignite new passions. Her shift in focus, coupled with her achievements since, underscores the impact of these events in shaping future aspirations for young people across Scotland.
Dervla is a clear example of how SmartSTEMs events can turn a student’s direction. Before the SmartSTEMs Inspire event with Nine Twenty Engineering in September 2019, Dervla was set on a more artistic path. She was determined to be an animator or an illustrator, spending hours every week drawing and sketching. But the event sparked a passion for STEM that totally changed her academic and career goals.
St. Kevin's Pupil Eilidh McGuinness Shines with £500 Commsworld Poster Prize Win
Pupils and staff from St Kevin’s Primary in Bargeddie are on top of the world after one of their classmates won a £500 prize for the school from telecoms communications provider Commsworld.
We partnered with Commsworld and North Lanarkshire Council, to hold a host of workshops this year for more than 1,000 young people in schools and colleges across North Lanarkshire to encourage them to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM).
At the end of each workshop, they urged those taking part to design a poster that explains what Commsworld or the internet means to them.
St Kevin’s pupil Eilidh McGuinness wowed the judges with her design that told what Commsworld and the internet means to them: providing the connectivity to check their glucose/blood sugar levels and aid their health.
Presenting the cheque to Eilidh and Head Teacher Michelle Toolan, Commsworld Marketing Manager Martina Corr said: “Many congratulations to Eilidh and St Kevin’s. Her poster design summed up their excellent engagement during our workshops, as well as their enthusiasm for the internet and all things STEM. We hope this acts as a springboard for future success in pursuing a STEM career.”
Eilidh McGuinness said: “It was wonderful to hear that I’d won the prize for the school – I still can’t believe it. I’m so proud of myself – it was great to see the final version of my poster and know that it will be used in many ways throughout the country.”
Provost Kenneth Duffy also attended the presentation: “Huge congratulations to Eilidh and everyone at St Kevin’s on their achievement on winning this competition – the poster really did look first class,” he said.
Stuart Macdonald, Found and CEO of SmartSTEMS, said: “Eilidh’s poster is a brilliant example of how young people can connect their everyday lives to the possibilities within STEM, showcasing both talent and practical thinking. Initiatives like these empower pupils to see themselves as future STEM leaders, and we’re so proud to play a role in inspiring the next generation.”
