Education professionals gathered at the Museum of Making on Wednesday last week (11 February) for a Derby Promise event encouraging connections between Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) curriculum and local job opportunities. Speakers from local employers and national organisations emphasised the wealth of opportunities that exist in Derby, and discussed ways to inspire and motivate students to pursue careers related to subjects they love, making best use of their skills through industry-led curriculum
The event was organised as part of Derby Promise’s city-wide partnership dedicated to ensuring that all children and young people are supported to dream big, thrive, and have access to enriching opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom. The programme includes a calendar of events that cover a wide range of topics and relate to the city’s key economic sectors – automotive and rail; AI and digital media; STEM; sport and leisure; creative and culture – sparking imagination into careers.
The event focused on nurturing the next generation of STEM professionals, with an emphasis on planting the seed of career aspiration early on, so that learners could understand how topics in the classroom relate to real-world jobs and futures.
Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills, said:
Derby’s strong industrial growth offers fantastic job opportunities, and we must ensure our young people benefit from them. Through the Derby Promise, we are removing barriers and supporting education professionals to signpost resources for every child.
We want young people from all backgrounds to understand the world of work and connect their passions to future careers. Whether a love of model-making leads to engineering or drawing becomes industrial design, we are empowering them to believe that if they can dream it, they can do it, ensuring every child is supported to get on in life.
Speakers from Rolls Royce, Developing Experts, and The King’s Trust spoke about the importance of encouraging a new generation of minds to step up with fresh thinking, driving the city’s growth and ending youth unemployment. The need to break down barriers through enrichment opportunities such as World of Work tours and virtual work experience was highlighted, and a guided tour of resources supporting an industry led-curriculum available through the Derby Promise portal supported this.
The session closed with practical guidance on modern training and entry routes, highlighting that a university degree isn’t always needed, and that pathways such as apprenticeships and on-site learning can lead to rewarding careers for Derby’s young people.
For more on the Derby Promise’s calendar of events and resources available, please visit derbypromise.org