STEM Cymru Project I & II
European Social Fund – July 2010-June 2023 – West Wales and Valleys (Convergence) area of Wales
STEM Cymru was originally a three year project, and was delivered under the 2007-2013 ESF funding programme. After several successful rounds of extension, EESW was successful with its application for a second project from the 2014 to 2020 ESF programme for a two-year project. This was again extended, and came to a close in June 2023 when EU funding ceased. EESW is grateful to the Welsh European Funding Office for the support it provided during this 13 year period.
The five project strands delivered since 2010 include:
- EESW Sixth Form Project
- Headstart Cymru
- F1 in Schools
- i2E (Introduction to Engineering)
- Girls into STEM
The Engineering Education Scheme Wales 6th Form Project, formed one strand of the project delivery, linking teams of Year 12 students with a local company to work on a real Engineering research problem. The project lasts for 6 months and ends with a final awards event where students produce a written report and present their findings to a panel of professional engineers or academics. The most recent awards event delivered during the project can be seen here:
EESW Project and F1 in Schools South Wales Awards & Presentation Day 2023 Event and Interviews
EESW Project and F1 in Schools South Wales Awards and Presentation Day 2023 Highlights
i2E workshops were designed to improve skills, including digital competence and also promote wider employability skills. Due to the length of the STEM Cymru funding, the sessions were designed to incorporate new technologies as they became more readily available to schools. Girls into STEM events developed from the original Girls into Engineering strand, to demonstrate the range of roles and careers and provide an opportunity for females to engage with industry prior to their GCSE subject choices. Headstart Cymru was the final activity that pupils could engage with during Year 12/13, to give a meaningful insight into what subject disciplines are available for further study at Higher education level.
Towards the end of the EU funding, our activities were developed to align to the new Curriculum for Wales, and themed around issues related to sustainability and climate change, including renewable energy and wind turbines, air pollution, sustainable agriculture combined with coding with the aim of inspiring the next generation of the future workforce in Wales.
Project Achievement
Over the STEM Cymru I and II project lifetimes, we are proud that 22,676 young people were engaged (10530 male and 12146 female).
|
KPIs for STEM Cymru (July 2010-June 2015) |
Target |
Achieved |
% achieved |
|
2100 - Participants |
6085 |
7067 Male - 3307 Female -3760 |
116% |
|
2103 - Target - Participants gaining other positive outcomes (formerly reporting against 2101 Target - Participants gaining qualifications) |
1759 |
1813 Male - 1121 Female - 692 |
103% |
|
2123 - Employers collaborating with education/training providers |
110 |
123 |
112% |
|
KPIs for STEM Cymru 2 (July 2015-June 2023) |
Target |
Achieved |
% achieved |
|
Young people 11-19 years of age |
Male – 6287 Female – 7166 Total - 13453 |
Male – 7223 Female – 8386 Total - 15609 |
115% 117% 116% |
|
Young People 11-19 years of age completing training in STEM |
Male – 2443 Female – 1797 Total - 4240 |
Male – 2459 Female – 1956 Total - 4415 |
101% 109% 104% |
|
11-19 years of age participants who continue to study a STEM subject post 16 |
Male – 641 Female – 285 Total - 926 |
Male – 643 Female – 326 Total - 969 |
100% 114% 104% |
EESW Project Past Student Experiences
In February 2023, EESW sent out a Stakeholder Survey to gain feedback on our activities and the impact they have had to Teachers, Volunteer judges, Engineers and University representatives. We were overwhelmed with the number of responses and the positive comments received, such as:
“EESW provides a critical link between education and the STEM industry. This is essential to build connections, broaden the opportunities for pupils and help them figure out which area of STEM really interests them. It's enabled me to develop as a STEM professional, improve my communication skills, and give back to the type of schemes that helped me get to where I am today”
“The EESW Sixth Form project was amazing opportunities for the pupils. Every year that we completed this the pupils gained lots of skills and confidence from it. It was regularly asked about during pupil’s university interviews. The F1 in schools has always been run so well and enjoyed by pupils. It is adaptable for us as a school and has allowed us to run it in a way that suits our needs.”
“Pupils have accessed careers as a consequence of these activities. They have provided unique opportunities for individuals and teams. The activities have raised the profile of STEM and promoted careers as a viable option to both boys and girls. They have also developed my practice as a teacher and developed my industrial understanding.”
The full evaluation reports can be found here:
STEM Cymru I and II was funded by the European Social Fund through the Welsh European Funding Office.
The EESW, F1 in Schools and Girls into STEM strands will continue to be delivered with funding from the Welsh Government Education Directorate, and Headstart Cymru will be delivered in 2023 with funding through Tech Valleys. EESW has secured funding to deliver i2E projects regionally from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Ceredigion, Conwy and Wrexham Key Funds.
