7
AUTUMN 2015
Developing the Young Workforce
PROMOTING STEM CAREERS
AROUND 120,000 VISITORS
ATTENDED THE 2015 SCOTTISH
AIRSHOW IN SEPTEMBER,
WHERE AYRSHIRE COLLEGE
HAD FOUR STANDS.
In the Future Zone, the College
promoted STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics) and we launched
the Student Association’s
#ThisAyrshireGirlCan campaign
to inspire girls and young
women to consider careers in
STEM.
Over 120 young people took
part in CoderDojo taster
sessions. at the Scottish Air
Show. CoderDojo Ayrshire is a
free coding club for 7-17 year
olds supported by Ayrshire
College staff and students.
Young visitors were also
treated to science experiments
and learned all about
composites and the latest wind
turbine technology.
Live cooking demonstrations
took place at the College’s
hospitality stand in the Taste
Ayrshire marquee. In the VIP
marquee, students Megan
Dempsey and Niki Smith,
along with staff members
Claire Anderson and Ainslay
Miller, served afternoon tea to
delighted guests.
“The entire event was
a huge success and
hopefully inspired
future generations to
start their careers with
Ayrshire College.”
In October, the College
promoted Ada Lovelace
Day which celebrates
women engineers,
scientists, technologists and
mathematicians - role models
who inspire other girls and
women. Read our blog posts
here.
This year is the 200th
anniversary of the birth of Ada
Lovelace who is widely held to
have been the first computer
programmer. Coderdojo
clubs are a great way to
find the next generation of
programmers and the College
is hosting its next Dojos at
Dumfries House in Cumnock
on November 26th from 6pm8pm and on 15 December
6pm-8pm in our Ayr campus.
Videos showcasing the variety
of roles within the engineering
sector will be created by
the College thanks to Skills
Development Scotland’s
Equalities Challenge Fund.
The College will visit local
employers and film one of
their employees ‘a day in the
life of’ to highlight what an
apprenticeship in engineering
is really like. We aim to
encourage more females to
consider a apprenticeships
in STEM.