Blackpool and The Fylde College STEM Day shows pupils the exciting side of science and technology

Do you have what it takes to save a life, be the next man on the moon or produce the next must-have piece of technology? 

That was the challenge faced by pupils who got hands-on experience of specialist careers in science, technology, engineering and maths during a STEM Day at Blackpool and The Fylde College.

The College is the largest provider of Higher Education STEM courses in England – according to the Higher Education Funding Council – and trains people for careers in a wide range of specialised fields including aerospace, automotive, maritime engineering, energy, and health.

Pupils from Aspire Academy, South Shore Academy, Montgomery High School and Lytham St Annes Technology and Performing Arts College took part in the event.

Jane Mahon, Partnerships and Careers Manager at B&FC, said: “We had a really exciting programme lined up including a live surgery experience, delivered by a company called Theatre Live, where pupils performed operations on animal organs.

“We also had a company – The Bloodhound Project – which was teaching them how to design and build a rocket car, while in another area we had curriculum staff from our engineering, computing and science areas doing skills presentations.

“STEM subjects are really important but are sometimes overlooked by pupils so it’s important to show them the exciting career options available to those who study technical and professional subjects.

“These are the skills learned by innovators like Neil Armstrong or Steve Wozniak, who went on to change the face of the world as we know it.”

The College holds STEM assured status, with approximately 43% of its provision being STEM related.

The ethos at B&FC is to prepare people for jobs in a wide range of industries and many courses are co-created with employers to ensure the College is providing the appropriate industry-standard training.

More than 1,800 businesses choose the College as their training delivery partner, including Ford, Westinghouse and BAE Systems.