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Students welcomed to King's for first ever STEM work experience week

Peter Gallivan

Outreach Manager, Natural Mathematical & Engineering Sciences

25 July 2024

Technology & Science

30 students from secondary schools across London joined the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences (NMES,) for an interactive week exploring the diverse range of STEM careers to be found at a university.

Run by the Faculty Outreach Team, the STEM Work Experience Week gave students the chance to experience STEM topics beyond what they see in school, giving them insights into the varied opportunities a career in STEM can unlock.

Students kicked off the week in the Department of Engineering, where they heard about how King’s researchers are preparing the electricity grid for green energy. They then built optical tactile sensors, and explored their use in robotics. Next they headed to the Department of Physics, getting hands-on with optics experiments, and discovering the evidence for dark matter.

In the Department of Informatics, students learned how AI can help design computer games, before seeing an automated customer service robot in action. With the Department of Mathematics, they explored matching algorithms, before getting stuck into topology. Finally in the Department of Chemistry, participants tried out a range of analytical experiments that usually feature in undergraduate practical work.

For the rest of the week, students worked in groups to complete research projects, solving a sustainability problem using STEM. They chose a diverse range of subjects to tackle, from car emissions and road repairs, to food waste and wind energy. Finally, students presented their projects as posters, in front of their peers and staff from King’s, as well as their families and friends.

I enjoyed working with the people from other schools and the different members of different departments at King’s. I found it really useful to be in a real work environment; the most important thing I learnt was to how to successfully work in a team. This will help me prepare for the world of work by knowing how to successfully collaborate with others in my field of work for a project.– 2024 Work Experience participant

Work experience plays a key role in raising young people’s aspirations, helping to highlight the wide range of career opportunities available to them. It can be especially important in highlighting how a STEM degree can unlock a wide range of rewarding careers, many of which they might not be aware of. It can also showcase how STEM skills can be valuable for careers they might already be considering.

Providing these opportunities to local young people is exactly what King’s should be doing as a centre of excellence for research in STEM subjects. If we want the world to have the very best scientists, engineers and mathematicians, we need to be opening our doors to them now, supporting this next generation of researchers to find their passions and build their skills.– Dr Kathryn Boast, Senior Outreach Manager, NMES

The week was planned for students in Year 10, as this is a key point in a young person's journey with STEM. By giving a wide ranging view of what different subjects are like at university level, students can make more informed decisions about what they might want to study post-16, and if A-Levels and later university are something they would be interested in. The Outreach Team followed the Gatsby Benchmarks when planning the week, making sure that the week fitted into schools plans for good career guidance.

The STEM Work Experience Week is part of the programme of events run throughout the year by the NMES Outreach Team.

I was very impressed with the students we had taking part in our Work Experience Week. They quickly got stuck into the programme, tackling a wide range of university level topics with enthusiasm. They really took advantage of spending a week here at King’s, and the quality of their final presentations is testament to their hard work they showed throughout the week.– Peter Gallivan, Outreach Manager, NMES