Mentor sessions help students plan for careers
Students from Blackburn are being inspired to explore jobs with the support of our region’s employers.
Year 9 and 10 Pupils at Our Lady and St John Catholic College in Shadsworth, have been working with volunteers from the National Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) Ambassador programme who represent companies in the area to discuss career opportunities.
The sessions designed and delivered by local education company STEMFirst, and funded by Future U, allow the students to learn about the possibilities of STEM careers and hear first-hand what they need to do to study for a job in the sector.
The students link with mentors who can advise them on career routes, and give them an insight into industry. The sessions have proved popular so far, with most students saying they had learnt new skills and given them useful information and advice.
The sessions are designed to help more students from the area explore the career opportunities available if they continue into higher education after finishing high school, as well as preparing students with the skills needed to apply for university places, live away from home for the first time, and apply for jobs.
Theo Blackburn, Programme Manager at Future U, said: “We are delighted to be working with STEMFirst again to continue to support pupils despite the many challenges that schools are currently facing.
“Now more than ever, it is important to provide young people with an inspirational careers programme to encourage and motivate them. This mentoring programme allows pupils to hear from local employers and develop employability skills that will help them in their future careers, especially if they decide to pursue a career within STEM.”
Sue Hargreaves, Director, STEMFirst, who run the STEM Ambassador HUB for Lancashire and Cumbria said: “The FutureU Mentoring Programme is a great opportunity for learners to start to think about the skills they need to develop, to face their own future careers with confidence, and meet real people who put those skills into practice.”