School’s out for summer and BEAR Scotland earned top marks for its STEM engagement efforts having reached almost 4,000 school pupils since September 2022.
Since taking on the SE Trunk Road contract for Transport Scotland in three years ago, the operating company has been committed to boosting young people’s interest in the civil engineering industry.
Initially this was restricted to virtual engagement, largely in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce, but this year it was great to reintroduce face to face engagement with primary and secondary schools across the country.
A key milestone was the reopening of the Contact and Education Centre and the relaunch of the extended Transport Scotland education programme out of the iconic Queensferry base.
Over the last academic year BEAR has delivered STEM education sessions to 2,728 pupils – of which a third have been with secondary school pupils and the remainder have been at primary school level.
As well as delivering lessons on bridges, the programme has expanded to cover the diversity of work carried out by Transport Scotland across a variety of fields. This will include active travel, net zero, drainage and flooding, meeting climate change challenges, autonomous vehicles, and other environmental and sustainability topics.
From August, bookings for academic year 2023/2024 will be taken. Schools can email: SchoolSTEM@BEARScotland.co.uk to arrange.
As well as delivering lessons, BEAR’s STEM Ambassadors have been involved in numerous careers-focussed sessions in partnership with Developing the Young Work Force. These activities allow young people to talk direct to those working in industry and get a taste of what working in the transport industry might entail.
It is estimated that BEAR have reached over 1,200 young people at eight events spanning the area we cover in Scotland.
BEAR’s STEM Engagement Programme was commended at the national Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation Awards in London in June.
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