STEM Manifesto

STEM Manifesto

A commitment to developing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics across Teesside.

Training the talent of today for the world of tomorrow.

Introduction

Our Commitment to STEM

This STEM manifesto has been created in partnership with the New Engineering Foundation who assisted with the development of our new STEM strategy.

The Governors, Senior Management Team and staff at Middlesbrough College share a collective determination to create a positive future for everyone on Teesside. To this end, the College has committed itself to being the leading provider of education and training providing pathways to employment, further or higher education.

This process has enabled Middlesbrough College to produce a STEM strategy and action plan, adopting an integrated and coherent vision that is outward focussed and drives economic growth and prosperity.

Throughout this process, our aims have been to ensure our STEM provision: • • • •

Is of the highest quality and drives excellence across the College Produces skilled and employable students Generates productive relations with industry Supports the current and future skills needs of the region’s economy

This work has been carried out with involvement of staff across the college, local industry, schools and universities and focuses on integrating the STEM curriculum.

The STEM manifesto will ensure Middlesbrough College plays a key role in meeting the needs of scientific, technological and manufacturing employers in our region and beyond. It also gives students, staff and stakeholders a summary of the vision we have created and makes specific pledges which we will implement over the coming months and years.

We believe that STEM education and training has the potential to transform the region’s economic competitiveness and we have committed ourselves to directly aligning our STEM offer to the skills requirements of employers. As part of this endeavour, we are presently investing £21million in the creation of STEM facilities and programmes which we are confident will be unrivalled anywhere in the UK. Our strategy, our plans and our Manifesto have been and continue to be shaped by our partners - local industry, schools and universities - who share our ambition and determination to realise our vision.

Our Manifesto is, however, much more than a statement of our intent, our Manifesto is designed to explain our vision and make specific pledges which we will invite our stakeholders to hold us to over the coming months and years.

We believe we are going to achieve something very special and I would like to take this opportunity to extend an open invitation to you, to work with us and be part of this endeavour.

If you would like to know more about our STEM strategy and curriculum developments or simply find out how your local businesses, schools and universities can become involved with our STEM journey, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Our contact email is: stem@mbro.ac.uk

Zoe Lewis Principal / Chief Executive

In the 21st century, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge-based economy.

To succeed in this new information-based and highly technological society, students need to develop their capabilities in STEM to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past.

National Science Foundation

STEM Pledges

STEM Focus

At Middlesbrough College our focus over the next 3-5 years is manifested in the following pledges which support our commitment to foster a culture of entrepreneurship, innovation and enterprise in STEM.

Engineering and Logistics • • •

We will: •

Extend our STEM capability and capacity to meet regional economic priorities, particularly emerging and high value industrial and commercial sectors

•

Innovate new STEM curriculum so that our education and training offer meets both student and employer requirements

•

Create an education and training environment that delivers the best in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths teaching and learning at every stage of lifelong learning

•

Tackle barriers which prevent individuals, especially young people, from obtaining employability skills facilitating faster entry into STEM employment and progression within the workplace

•

Meet the needs of key growth sectors by increasing intermediate and higher skills attainment, particularly in relation to STEM subjects

•

Assume responsibility for the creation of a STEM network with our partners (schools, colleges, universities, employers and employer associations) across the Tees Valley with the purpose of fostering aspiration, advancing STEM education and promoting STEM learning pathways and careers

•

Address the significant replacement demand in key sectors, including improved progression through up-skilling and reskilling, and targeted recruitment of young people interested in science, engineering and technology

•

Take the lead in the local community and wider industries to raise awareness and attract underrepresented groups, such as women, into STEM related industry and education

• •

Plant and Process Engineering Welding and Fabrication Advanced Manufacturing (including CAD, CAM and prototyping) Logistics Rail and Offshore Energy

Science and Wellbeing • • • • •

Industrial Lab Technicians Health and Social Care Assistive Care Dentistry Geology

Computing and Digital Media • • • • • • • •

‘Hard’ Computing Programming Web Development Networking ‘Soft’ Creative Technologies and Media App Development Games Design Web Design

Energy & Sustainable Construction • • •

Civil Engineering Project Management Green Technology

Summary of the STEM Strategy This STEM strategy will be: Connected: creating synergy across the college offer to ensure sustainability and scalability of provision.

Contextualised: serving the local priorities and needs of employers and learners by providing contextualised STEM provision and solutions.

Employers Comments “In the UK we urgently need to enthuse young people about the exciting challenges and substantial rewards available in engineering and manufacturing careers. A huge national effort is needed to make this happen and Government, education, and industry itself all have a major role to play.

“I welcome the critically important part Middlesbrough College will play in unlocking the nation’s young engineering talent.”

Andy Tuscher Regional Director, EEF. “Apprentices are an underpinning element of the businesses strategy and the value they can add to any business should not be under estimated. Middlesbrough College have proven to be a solid and reliable source of apprentices for my business.

We have successfully partnered with the college now for over 3 years and have already seen a successful transition of apprentices in to fully qualified employees. Due to this success, we have increased our apprentice programme by 25%, buoyed by the successes we have both attained in this partnership together.”

John .M. Evans Facility Manager Stockton, Caterpillar UK “We are delighted to be involved and associated with this exciting new STEM centre that is being built. It will provide a facility that is available to all industry sectors to use to develop individual and organisational capability in an environment that provides real work simulation. It is an exciting project and one that I firmly believe will put the TEES Valley and Middlesbrough College at the forefront in providing a true holistic learning environment that will enable us to successfully up skill existing employees as well as training the new recruits of tomorrow, today. I firmly believe that learning is a journey not a destination and this state of the art facility will definitely enhance the journey for everyone involved.”

Stephen Trillo HR OD Director, Lotte Chemical

“Some of the key reasons we have chosen Middlesbrough College for our apprentice training are; their flexibility to tailor attendance to suit our own training plans for the apprentices; their commitment to invest in new technology, particularly CNC machine tools and 2D/3D software; their clear intent to provide young people with the skills that industry needs and therefore that gives them the best opportunity of lifetime employment; their communication with us and interest in our industry knowledge and requirements. We are very impressed with everything they are doing, and hope to continue working with them for many years to come.”

Sharon Lane Director, Tees Components Limited “I believe that the STEM project will deliver what the industry in the surrounding area is lacking in training and development of apprentices. STEM will be able to supply industry with apprentices who will have realistic industrial experience so they can be of value to employers. They will have experience of how industry works, what is expected of them and how their actions can influence process operations. I believe that STEM is a brilliant idea and bringing young people closer to real industry can only benefit the surrounding industry in the future.”

Steve Broomhall Maintenance FLM, Huntsman Polyurethanes On behalf of Sembcorp Utilities (UK) Limited I unreservedly commend your governing body and management team for having the foresight, determination and vision to develop these proposals. As you know this is a critical time for industry on Teesside and so I welcome without qualification these proposals which will provide for traineeships, apprenticeships, higher apprenticeships and bespoke training for companies, and give you our full support and endorsement for your project.

George Ritchie, MBE SVP Regional HR, Sembcorp Utilities (UK) Ltd