Stoned? Some thoughts on industry’s support to STEM secondary education

Dr Martin ThomasDirector of STEM OutreachQinetiQ

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Cell regeneration – you’re not half the person you used to be!

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Company regeneration – we’re not half the company we used to be!

• Companies’ public persona persists despite continual internal change

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• Direct heritage to defence research establishments of the 1940s

What is QinetiQ ? Never heard of it !

• Commercial company formed from the MoD’s R&D and T&E establishments

• Ultimate provenance to 1265 and the office of the “Master General of the Ordnance”

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What Does QinetiQ Do?

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Marine surface environment

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Land environment

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Air environment

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Space: TopSat imaging satellite

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Space: Astronaut training

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Why is UK STEM education important to QinetiQ ?

• PR tool

• Outstanding young recruits

• Restricted UK recruitment pool

• Staff development for Chartership

• Technically literate society

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STEM CAREERS

Why should industry be important to UK STEM education ?

R&

D

T&

E

H&

S

Pro

du

ctio

n

Qu

alit

y

Cust

om

er

Support

Business/IndustryAcademiaGovernmentPrivate not-for-profit

OECD and OST data published in the Roberts Review of 2002

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What skills does QinetiQ want ?

• Subject matter knowledge

• Cross-cutting skills

– Logical scientific analytical progression

– Data collection, analysis, interpretation

– Communication skills (written and oral)

– Teamwork

– Flexibility in technical focus

– Innovation/Entrepreneurship

– Collaboration

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What skills does QinetiQ want ?

• Competition vs. Collaboration

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Where to strategically apply limited resources ?

• ‘Outreach’ activities

• Perceived career prospects

• School-based curriculum

(including standard of facilities)

• Teachers

• Media portrayal including

‘heroes’

• Friends & family

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• Excite and enthuse pupils

• Support those who influence the learning experience in the classroom

Should industry move up the value chain ?

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How to support the ‘influencers’?

• Top-level, national fora ?

• Financial sponsorship vs. hands-on support vs. internet ?

• Collaborative or independent ?

• In-depth or widespread ?

• Unclear route to teacher CPD: Charities vs. LEAs vs. SLCs

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The beginnings of a QinetiQ strategy ?

• In response to feedback from ‘influencers’ themselves

• Direct to teachers, careers advisors and schools advisors & inspectors

• Collaborative

• Nationally renowned schemes

• Spread across UK

• Hands-on support + appropriate sponsorship

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(QinetiQ) way forward ?

• Data set case studies

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(QinetiQ) way forward ?

• Distributed collaborative projects

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(QinetiQ) way forward ?- Regional fora

• Regional fora/events aimed at:– Addressing specific needs of ‘influencers’

– Communicating requirements of industry

• Collaborative events

• Relationship to SLCs and Strategic Fora ?

• Free facilities at QinetiQ sites, expert speakers, links to universities and industry

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Conclusions

• Education and Industry both gain by ‘higher value’ collaboration

• Industry “could do better”

• Barriers to greater participation (situation with regard to teacher CPD)

• Success needs collaboration and dialogue

Feel free to throw stones !

education@qinetiq.com