Business leaders, sports stars and education hosted by the 1851 Trust came together in Cardiff with one shared goal: making sure the next generation is ready for the STEM careers of the future.
More than 40 local businesses and athletes joined Baroness Sue Gray CBE; Jo Grindley, CEO of the 1851 Trust; Hannah Mills OBE; and Mel Cameron, Head of Marketing Europe, Asia – Pacific at Cobham Ultra, to discuss how to build those pathways. Attendees looked at how business, government, industry and the wider community could work together to tackle the pressing skills shortage in the STEM sector.
Casey Cucciniello, Head of Public Sector, Wales, VodafoneThree, said:
“I found the discussion really interesting, there is a real crossover and connection between technology, careers, industry and sport, there is a lot of knowledge that can be shared across all four. The session highlighted how not one area can change and improve things for the long term, it takes a combination of education, government and the private sector all leaning in to help push Wales forward”
The discussion took place at STEM Crew LIVE Cardiff, which is hosted 300 young people from local secondary schools over two days at Techniquest. STEM Crew LIVE is the 1851 Trust’s immersive education programme, delivered in partnership with Cobham Ultra and Athena Pathway. Students get hands-on with the science, technology and problem-solving behind high-performance sailing, where they discover the real world application of STEM through coding Spheros around an America’s Cup racecourse, putting sails through their paces in a wind tunnel and testing real race-boat materials.
During the final session ‘Careers Speed Networking’, students meet elite athletes and professionals from across the sport, including engineers, designers, sailors, engineers, data analysts and support teams. These sessions allow young people to ask questions and glimpse of careers many young people may never have considered.
“Wales has the talent and ambition to lead in the industries of the future. Young people just need to see where their skills could take them. Bringing STEM Crew LIVE to Cardiff was about opening those doors and showing what’s possible right here in Wales,” said Louise Harris MBE, CEO and Founder of Tramshed Tech.
This is what the 1851 Trust is all about: using the power of sport and the influence of athletes to bring science to life and open STEM career opportunities for young people.
Sport is driven by science. When young people can see that science in action, get hands-on with it and meet the people behind it, it can change what they think is possible for themselves.
The approach aligns closely with the Curriculum for Wales. The curriculum encourages learners to develop curiosity, inquiry, creativity and problem-solving skills, and to understand how science, technology, engineering and digital skills shape the world around them.
Eleanor, Year 8, St Illtyds Cathlic School, Cardiff, said:
‘I met someone from McLaren, I love F1 and find it really exciting. I would love to work for them one day, today has inspired me to work hard and not give up on what I want to do. STEM Crew Live was so cool in showing us that there’s so much science in sport like in sailing. It’s been great’
