Long-Running STEM Roadshow Secures Millions in Funding

A science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) roadshow for schools that has been running for 20 years has secured £3.5 million worth of funding to continue for a further five years. Together, BAE Systems, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy are committed to engaging with young people through initiatives like the STEM roadshow to encourage and support a highly skilled workforce of the future.

BAE Systems launched the nationwide educational event in 2005, engaging and inspiring around 1.3 million pupils since then. The RAF joined as a partner in 2008, with the Royal Navy adding its support in 2015.

Designed to spark excitement and interest in STEM subjects, the programme offers a highly interactive experience for primary and secondary school students aged 10 to 13 years old, demonstrating practical applications of scientific and technological concepts in real world scenarios.

This year’s series launched recrntly at St Mary's College in Hull and will go on to visit more than 500 schools up and down the country, bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to life as around 130,000 pupils use the technology to create songs and accompanying music videos with the help of a robot dog called Lexi.

The scheme is so successful that the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and BAE Systems have now agreed to continue delivering the roadshows until at least 2030.

Tania Gandamihardja, Group Human Resources Director at BAE Systems, said: “As one of the UK’s leading advanced engineering and technology companies, we have a long history of nurturing young talent and helping to educate young people on the value of studying STEM subjects.

The roadshow has visited over 5,000 schools across the length and breadth of the UK in the two decades since its launch, covering topics such as electricity, space, magnetism, energy, maths, waves, physics and biomimicry.

Commander Chris Pinder, Royal Navy STEM Programme, said: “The Royal Navy relies on STEM expertise to design, build, deploy and maintain our world-class ships, submarines and aircraft around the world.

“Galvanising the engineers and scientists of the future is essential and the additional funding to maintain this excellent programme is hugely welcome.”