An understanding and appreciation of science is more important today than ever before. We need more young people to be passionate about science, to relate what they are learning to their lives, to be inspired to keep studying beyond school and then make a difference to the world! Ultimately leading to a more diverse group of young people choosing science pathways later on.
Thales is dedicated to reach over one million pupils and people across the world by 2030 as part of the ‘Tech Vocation Maker’ commitment. Thales in the UK are leading the way in inspiring future generations to engage with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects at school and beyond. At Thales, we consider it vital to give young people the tools and information they need to make informed decisions about their future career.
According to EngineeringUK research, demand for engineers is predicted to grow faster than for other occupations between now and 2030.Without an increase in the number and diversity of engineers and technicians, the UK lacks the capability to tackle some of the biggest challenges we face.
The key impacts for our education outreach programme are that young people develop
- a belief that science is 'for them'
- confidence in learning and understanding new science
STEM ACTIVITIES
We are involved in a wide range of educational projects and activities where Thales employees engage with local schools to help support young people and promote STEM subjects and provide opportunities for schools to meet the Department of Education Careers Strategy and the Gatsby Benchmarks.
We have partnered with our local schools with the highest levels of pupil disadvantage. We believe that by visiting these schools regularly has a more sustainable impact on the students, giving them the opportunity to gain a breath of experiences in a variety of ways.
Types of Activities
We have a range of age appropriate activities to engage, inspire and raise aspirations of young people.
At Thales we are passionate about working in partnership, supporting and collaborating with other organisations to ensure that we are getting the STEM message out to as many people as possible. We are proud to work with a number of different organisations so we can share our knowledge and resources to ensure we reach as many young people as possible.
Primary Engineer
has developed an engineering curriculum that spans Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Further Education institutions. Our partnership has allowed Thales to support 40 primary schools over the last two years within the UK, with exciting projects that inspire young minds. We are also very proud to be sponsors of the which is a great project that all schools can access inspiring engineers over 48000 budding inventors.
STEMettes
STEMettes is an award-winning UK social enterprise that has been working to inspire and support girls, young women and non-binary people across the UK and Europe for the last 10 years. Thales is proud to partner with STEMettes on their mission to engage, inform and connect the next generation of women and non-binary people into Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) by running workshops, events and learning experiences.
The Smallpiece Trust
The Smallpiece Trust are an educational charity with a 50 year legacy of inspiring young people to persue careers in Science and Engineering through events and workshops. Thales are proud to partner with the Smallpiece Trust to help young people from all backgrounds across the UK to explore their interest in STEM subjects and fuel their passion for engineering, by delivering in-person and virtual STEM days for Primary and Secondary school students.