Rising numbers of people are taking maths and physics A levels – but it is still very low. Too many teenagers, especially girls, don’t realise that maths and physics get you everywhere. They have the highest earnings and can open doors to careers in business, journalism, technology, engineering - in fact anything you can probably think of.
That is why I’m so pleased to see some of the UK’s top businesses and organisations showing their commitment by signing the ‘Your Life’ call to action and committing to recruit more science and maths students. Together we can ensure young people have the skills they need to succeed in life and help the UK compete on a global scale.
Elizabeth Truss, Education Minister
Engineering skills are vital to BAE Systems and the 7,500 companies in our UK supply chain and we are reliant on a pipeline of young talent taking up careers in science, technology, engineering and maths. We are supporting the ‘Your Life’ campaign as part of an annual £80M commitment to skills development in the UK. Ian King, BAE Systems’ CEO
Our pledge below shows how together we will encourage more women and girls to consider technology and engineering careers and the subject choices or vocational pathways that lead to them.
We will be contributing to a national aspiration to double the number of women studying engineering and technology degrees at undergraduate level by 2030; boost the number of women pursuing careers in engineering and technology; and increase the number of young people studying maths and physics at 18.
Apprentice
Our pledges
- BAE Systems commits to sponsoring a Chair in Maths or Physics for the next three years
- BAE Systems aspires to have at least 12% of women in its apprentice intake by September 2015, above the national average.
- BAE Systems commits to taking its schools roadshow into 250 schools, and engage with 30,000 young people aged 10 to 13 in 2014 and 2015. It will focus on encouraging girls to take a more positive view of going into STEM-based careers.
- BAE Systems commits to supporting the ‘Girls Engineering the Future’ initiative in 2014 and 2015, to encourage more girls to consider careers as an engineering apprentice.
- BAE Systems commits to having more than 300 employees at any one time acting as STEMNet Ambassadors, supporting engagement activities in local schools. These will include female apprentices and graduates
- BAE Systems will make a major commitment to the Big Bang Science and Engineering Fair in 2015 - 2017, aimed at 11-18 year olds. We will also be the biggest corporate supporter of the UK Skills Fair, which celebrates vocational training. Our stands will be manned by apprentices and graduates, including female role models
- BAE Systems commits to supporting the Royal Academy of Engineering’s education programme, in 2014 and 2015. We will develop teacher resources and material to support the company’s school roadshow
- BAE Systems commits to an annual 4 day residential programme for 2014 – 2016 at Lancaster University, and run by the Smallpeice Trust, for 12-13 year olds, to enthuse them about STEM subjects. It will be supported by our apprentices and graduates and our aim is that girls comprise 50% of those attending.
- BAE Systems commits to providing at least 400 work experience placements in 2014 and 2015 to consolidate an interest in engineering, mostly aimed at 14-16 year olds.
- BAE Systems commits to providing 50 industrial placements, and 37 summer internships in 2014. The company also commits to piloting a Windsor Fellowship project to provide 25 three month internships, specifically for female and ethnic minority undergraduates. The business will provide further industrial placements and internships in 2015 and 2016.
Process Leader from our Muntions business
