London Gatwick inspires future careers through STEM education

1,202 engaged students

The need

‘What will you be when you grow up?’ Ask a teenager, and they’re likely to answer based on life experiences or the school subjects they enjoy the most. But what if they haven’t had access to engaging learning opportunities on certain topics? Science and Maths, for example, are considered difficult by most 16-year-olds,¹ who struggle to understand how they apply in real life. In these cases, they might miss out on rewarding career opportunities, all because their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) experience is narrow.

This negative experience is compounded by teens’ perceptions of the jobs that are available to them. With 42% of young people in the UK feeling there are no quality jobs in their local area,³ career aspirations are taking a toll.

What if things were different? What if secondary students got the chance to explore locally available careers through immersive activities early on?

The why

STEM is crucial to London Gatwick, with hundreds of people working in related roles at the airport or partner companies. A diverse and skilled pipeline of local talent is key to the organisation’s growth; at the same time, London Gatwick is committed to supporting the communities surrounding the airport, in the South East of England.

As part of their sustainability plan, London Gatwick set out to raise local young people’s aspirations and to help them build STEM skills.

The solution

To reach their goal, London Gatwick partnered with EVERFI from Blackbaud to deliver an educational programme to secondary schools in the region. They’ve sponsored Endeavour, an interactive digital course that allows students to practise and develop core STEM skills while exploring real-world careers.

The Endeavour course teaches STEM skills in an interactive way

The course covers some of today’s key scientific issues and tasks students with solving challenges faced by real STEM professionals. It also includes a careers module, in which students take a quiz to identify interests, skills and aptitudes and learn about career paths in STEM, with job descriptions, necessary skills, and educational requirements.

London Gatwick also delivered career events to participant schools, with employees talking to students about careers at the airport. This was an opportunity to create deeper engagement with STEM and bring these career pathways to life.

The impact

To date, London Gatwick has reached 1,202 students in 15 secondary schools, achieving an impressive 55% increase in students’ knowledge about foundational STEM skills.

The careers events also received a warm reception from students and teachers:

‘We’re based in Crawley, which doesn’t have the best reputation for jobs, but actually there are loads of jobs around us – especially in STEM. It’s important to make our students feel positive about where they live and the opportunities available.’

– Teacher from the South East of England

The effect on business

The results of the programme so far are encouraging, and the airport team feels the impact they’re creating in the community is rewarding:

‘Knowing that we are inspiring young minds, fostering STEM education, and contributing to the development of future professionals is gratifying. The ripple effect will hopefully lead to a more skilled workforce, greater innovation, and progress in the region.’

– Melanie Wrightson, Stakeholder Engagement Manager at London Gatwick

London Gatwick is seeing a positive effect on their employees, too: those who have volunteered at school events report gaining valuable skills and motivation to keep learning. Even employees who didn’t get a chance to attend these events are proud of the programme; knowing their employer supports educational initiatives and is investing in the community contributes to overall job satisfaction.

The verdict

For London Gatwick, the partnership with EVERFI from Blackbaud has enabled them to have maximum impact on the surrounding communities, beyond the airport itself. By leveraging the power of education, they are making a lasting difference.

Your turn!

If, like Gatwick, your organisation is committed to supporting your community, reach out to our team of social impact experts at EVERFI from Blackbaud. We can help you address the issues that matter to your stakeholders and get your employees involved in social good. We’re keen to be your partners in making a difference!

Sources:

1. ^{Engineering UK. (2020). Educational pathways into engineering.}
2. ^{Accenture study mentioned at: Computerweekly.com. (2018). More than 60% of teen girls regret not studying Stem.}
3. ^{Youth Employment UK. (2023). Youth Voice Census 2023 Report.}