Global engineering company Wood is funding the rollout of its Climate Smarter project to 30 schools in Dundee, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire, joining schools currently taking part in the project across the Highlands and Fife. The project forms part of the company’s long-standing partnership with the Scottish Council for Development and Industry’s (SCDI) Young Engineers and Science Clubs (YESC) and is aimed at inspiring future scientists and engineers to take up the net-zero challenge and help tackle climate change.
The project challenges students to design and model a sustainable smarteco-school. As part of the rollout, schools will receive a free kit and resources – with a focus on climate, digital skills, numeracy and literacy – to support pupils and teachers.There will also be opportunities for continuous professional development for teachers that draws on cutting-edge industry insight, volunteer opportunities for employees at Wood, and the chance for pupils to learn about the diverse range of careers on offer at Wood.
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The partnership between Wood and YESC is one of Scotland’s longest-running STEM education initiatives.
‘Scotland is facing a STEM skills gap, said Sara Thiam, CEO of the SCDI. ‘Young Engineers and Science Clubs have been inspiring young people in Scotland towards STEM careers for more than 30 years. This new partnership with Wood allows us to reach even more schools in Scotland and inspire them to new careers in clean energy.’
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‘Delivering our net-zero ambitions will be one of the defining challenges of the next generation,’ said Paula Murphy, chief communications and marketing officer at the SCDI. ‘This partnership aims to inspire young students to pursue a career in STEM so they can play a part in shaping the technical solutions required to drive down emissions and scale up the supply of low-carbon energy.’
‘YESC plays an essential role within our technology ecosystem in sparking the curiosity and interest of young people in engineering and science,’ said Professor Mark Logan, former Skyscanner executive and author of the Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review. ‘It moves children from classroom theory to real-world application and gives them a taste of what it feels like to work in such an exciting industry. The YESC team has created very exciting projects that engage young people in the search for solutions to the problems that we face as a society. What could be more valuable than that?’