Ambassador Case Study March 2010

Advice for Students at Kirkwall Grammar from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Ambassadors

Ambassadors visited Kirkwall Grammar on 18 February, to provide insights into the world of work to pupils making their third year subject choices.

John Mowat, Alec Livingstone, Mike Robertson and Syed Shah, the Ambassadors who attended the parents evening, all have different backgrounds in the four subjects and offered advice to students about their career path and experiences in the local workplace.

Commenting on the strong science and engineering industry in Orkney, John Mowat said: “Events such as these and the presence of STEM highlights to young people that there are opportunities available to them in Orkney where they can study, work and be successful without having to leave to the island”.

The STEM Ambassador Programme now has 26 volunteers on Orkney who can inspire young people through their real life experience to pursue careers in the wide variety of STEM subjects.

Mike Robertson, local business man and founder of 4QL Limited, a software and internet services business, said: “I joined the STEM Ambassador programme to give young people first hand knowledge about industry and to demonstrate that a career in STEM can lead to endless opportunities. I have enjoyed talking to students and got them to think about how they make a career out of looking at how things work”.

K'NEX

The Orkney STEM Ambassadors are also helping to deliver the K'NEX engineering workshops in primary schools throughout Orkney and will continue to do so until May.

Technology Workshops

David Griffith STEM Ambassador from Orkney Islands Council will also deliver a number of technology inspired workshops to Students at Kirkwall Grammar, Stronsay Junior High School and Papdale Primary School. Pupils will use cutting edge technology in an internet radio workshop that looks at broadcasting software and interesting programme design.