Bringing STEM careers to life for Renfrewshire pupils

More than 200 attend event at state-of-the-art innovation centres

More than 200 pupils from across eleven Renfrewshire secondary schools attended an event giving insight into working in Scotland’s Life and Chemical Sciences and Advanced Manufacturing Industries on Thursday (5 September).

The event was organised by Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership (RLEP), which includes Skills Development Scotland (SDS), with technology innovation centre CPI and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).

Held at CPI’s state-of-the-art Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre within the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS), the event allowed senior pupils to hear from those already working in the sector. That included finding out about routes into both sectors from young people currently undertaking apprenticeships or studying at college and university.

Employers including Causeway Therapeutics, Peak Scientific, Terumo Aortic and Scottish Leather Group were there alongside Strathclyde University, University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and West College Scotland.

Pupils also got to try out virtual reality learning with the team from RESILIENCE and have a tour of the NMIS Learning Curve.

Milo Sneddon, S5 pupil at Park Mains High School, said: “The event opened my eyes to the number of ways to get into a career in STEM, such as apprenticeship, university, college or straight from school. There are lots of aspects I hadn’t considered and the event highlighted to me what I would need going forward like certain qualifications and work experience. It’s really helped me understand what my options are after school, as well as the different jobs within STEM I could work in.”

Sarah Hunt, SDS Life and Chemical Sciences Sector Manager, said: “Scotland is at the global forefront of life and chemical sciences, offering a wide range of exciting opportunities for young people with routes in including apprenticeships, college and university. Whether it’s developing new medicines, working on sustainable food sources or helping us to get to Net Zero, these are highly satisfying careers that have a major impact on the way we live.”

Alastair Gillen, Growth and Inward Investment Manager at SDS, added: “Events like this are vital in providing investors to AMIDS the opportunity to showcase the jobs of the future and inspire the next generation of talent coming through our education system.”

John Arthur, Director of the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre at CPI, said: “At CPI’s Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre we want to be central to promoting the breadth of unique and rewarding career opportunities that the life science sector has to offer. Whether it’s helping to develop the next generation of medicines, or making headway towards a Net Zero pharma industry, the sky is the limit for what our young people can achieve.  There are multiple routes to enter our industry which provides exciting opportunities for the next generation to drive innovation that makes a real difference to people’s lives at a global level.”

Based in Renfrewshire, next to Glasgow Airport, AMIDS is Scotland’s home of manufacturing innovation offering unrivalled connectivity, access to a highly skilled workforce and provides an environment which fosters collaboration and promotes health and sustainability.

Councillor Andy Steel, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, said: “It’s fantastic for our pupils to gain such valuable insight into exciting industries like advanced manufacturing and life and chemical sciences – and I hope they are now aspiring to have a career in one of these fields. Having AMIDS based within Renfrewshire allows us to provide incredible opportunities for all our residents close to home and we will continue to promote jobs in STEM as a real option for everyone in Renfrewshire to take up. It was great to have these sessions as part of the first-ever Renfrewshire Employability Week and I thank everyone involved for making it happen.”

Stewart McKinlay, Director, Manufacturing Skills Academy , National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, said: “The NMIS Manufacturing Skills Academy is excited to be involved in Renfrewshire Employability week and we were delighted to welcome the next generation of potential engineers, technicians, and researchers through our doors. We’re committed to providing people with valuable connections and experiences that demonstrate the varied and rewarding roles available to them locally within manufacturing.”

For more information, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/AMIDS.