stoned? some thoughts on industry’s support to stem secondary education
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Stoned? Some thoughts on industry’s support to STEM secondary education. Dr Martin Thomas Director of STEM Outreach QinetiQ. Cell regeneration – you’re not half the person you used to be!. Company regeneration – we’re not half the company we used to be!. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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
Q
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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 !