The choices are out there

Kate Bellingham, former presenter of Tomorrow’s World, is a trained engineer and National Champion of Careers for STEM ( science, technology, engineering and maths). She challenges a few commonly held perceptions

Imagine your child becoming a “scientist”, and what comes to mind will probably depend on yours and your friends’ professional experience, along with your personal educational experience of science. After 3 years working as National Champion for Careers from STEM, I am still learning about new career opportunities, amplifying my perception of what being a “scientist’ might mean. And I am better placed than many to know, with degrees in physics and electronics, and having worked as an engineer and a maths teacher. Very few of us have the full picture about where studying science can lead. Fewer still see it as a career for girls as much as for boys.

The Government has just published its latest survey of Public Attitudes to Science. Most respondents see careers in science as “desirable’, though the figure is lower for 16 – 24 years olds. And over 80% think “science is such a big part of our lives that we should all take an interest”.

However, only a few months ago, the CBI reported that employers were already having problems recruiting those with the right technical and engineering skills, and that, in the future, people with qualifications in science and maths will be particularly sought after. Other research suggests that, although science is seen as important, it is as a career path for “other people”, or “other peoples’ children”.

But studying maths and science opens doors to a wide range of opportunities. These subjects are described as facilitating A levels in the Russell Group’s Informed Choices guide – a list of subjects most frequently required, or desired, by universities. “Name an employer who won’t value a maths A level” said an IT company executive, recently.
An enthusiasm to take science and maths beyond compulsory study can be inspired purely by passion but most students, and their parents require more, a sense of purpose, and the knowledge that their studying can lead to an ultimately rewarding profession, financially and intellectually.

Research by Kings College London suggests that young people can be turned off science as early as 10 or 11, rejecting it as a viable pathway for study and work, because they cannot envisage themselves as a “scientist” or feel it isn’t an option their parents would encourage.

It can be hard to encourage taking science further under these circumstances. I recently presented a “STEM factor” challenge to primary aged pupils, partly designed to challenge the stereotypical perceptions of careers for men and women but also to show them the wide range of choice. I showed them videos of four young scientists: a snowboard designer; the energy manager for the London 2012 Olympic Park; a marine biologist studying the response of penguins to climate change; and the CEO of Engineers Without Borders who supply humanitarian solutions to the developing world. I could equally have chosen a cytogeneticist, or clinical engineer, a food technician, innovation consultant, games designer, or gemmologist.

Two of the role models in my STEM factor were men, two women. But who had which roles? I was delighted when a youngster piped up “but that’s not fair – you can’t tell by what they look like”. But gender stereotyping is still an issue, with many seeing maths, physics, and even chemistry, as “boys” subjects. Parents of daughters can do much, however, to encourage their potential in science careers. My 11-year-old daughter plays as much with her electronic and construction kits as our son. They both adore the Horrible Science books and follow the developments of BLOODHOUND SSC – a car designed to break the world land speed record at 1,000 miles an hour.

We think nothing of encouraging our children to take part in musical and sport activities outside of school. Giving the same support and encouragement for science and maths could have a major impact on their life choices and life chances.