South Yorkshire’s largest STEM careers showcase, ‘Get up to Speed with STEM,’ marked its milestone 15th anniversary with a special two-day event and a spectacular evening celebration. Held at Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham on 19th and 20th March, the event welcomed over 6,000 young people, educators, and industry professionals for an interactive exploration of STEM careers.
The event kicked off with a Business Breakfast, where industry leaders gathered to discuss the STEM skills gap. Notable speakers included Master Cutler Phillip Rodrigo, President of the Work-wise Foundation Richard Caborn, AMRC Interim CEO Professor Ben Morgan, and aspiring F1 driver Rowan Campbell-Pilling, who joined live from the Zandvoort Circuit in the Netherlands. John Barber, CEO of the Work-wise Foundation, reflected on the event’s growth, highlighting that ‘Get up to Speed’ has provided hands-on experiences to more than 50,000 young people over the years.
Master Cutler Phillip Rodrigo said, “There is still a need to signpost young people into industry and to where and how they can gain the right skills training that they need. Manufacturing is experiencing a skills shortage and it is what we as South Yorkshire businesses can do to introduce young people to our industries that will make the difference in developing a skilled workforce for the future.”
Professor Ben Morgan added, “Technology is moving faster than ever before, particularly with the use of Artificial Intelligence. Traditional manufacturing skills will continue to be highly valued but we’ll see these combined with new technologies and a focus on sustainable manufacturing.”
The highly anticipated event featured around 100 exhibitors, offering a wide range of interactive activities to engage attendees. Young people took part in hands-on experiences such as metal casting with United Cast Bar, drone football, exploring the workings of a McLaren car, TaskMaster challenges, and nuclear fusion demonstrations with the UK Atomic Energy Authority. Visitors also had the opportunity to try their hand at Virtual Welding with the AMRC Training Centre.
This year, the event expanded to dedicate the first day to secondary school students, while the second day welcomed primary school pupils and young people with SEND, ensuring a tailored experience for all participants.
John Barber said, “This has been an iconic Get up to Speed event! For a couple of years, we’ve had requests to extend it to a two-day event and it has been fantastic to offer both primary, secondary and SEND pupils their own dedicated times to experience Get up to Speed and get as much out of it as possible. We’ve had a fantastic response from both teachers and pupils and we would like to thank all the businesses and organisations involved in putting on such amazing and interactive activities which really have brought STEM careers to life.”
Teachers praised the event, with one primary school teacher saying, “I think the event is a fantastic way to get pupils thinking about their career options. I love that there is such a diverse range of companies and that the event was over two days, so primary pupils attended during quieter times.” A secondary teacher added, “I found this year’s event highly practical, allowing students to be involved with the different stalls, which was amazing! The changes to the outside areas helped reduce crowding and provided more activities for students to do.”
The celebrations concluded with a spectacular ‘Big 15’ evening event, bringing together long-time supporters of Get up to Speed for a night of entertainment at Magna. Hosted by Alex Gardner from Smile Business Support, the event featured live music from Dave Perkins, magic from Andrew Dean, entertainment from Gulliver’s Valley Theme Park, and interactive experiences like a virtual flight simulator with Skills Street and a large-scale race track. A special recognition award was presented to The Rt Hon Richard Caborn for his longstanding support of the Work-wise Foundation since its inception.
Since its launch in 2011, Get up to Speed has introduced tens of thousands of young people to the exciting world of STEM, bridging the skills gap and inspiring future innovators. The event provides businesses with a unique opportunity to connect with future talent, showcase their innovations, and contribute to closing the STEM skills gap.
The event is organised by the Work-wise Foundation and made possible thanks to the support of sponsors, including AESSEAL, CBE+, Sheffield Forgemasters, Stream7, and The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers as Gold Sponsors, alongside Silver Sponsors such as DragonflyPR, Hydra Creative, Forged Solutions Group, The IET, The UK Atomic Energy Authority, and Rowan Campbell-Pilling F4 Driver, plus a host of Bronze Sponsors.
For more details, visit https://www.getuptospeed.org.uk/
