Unlock Your Future: How 10,000 Students Are Bridging the UK's STEAM Skills Gap at Thorpe Park

An innovative education scheme is empowering schoolchildren to enhance their career prospects in the high-demand science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) sectors.

Event Overview

STEAM 2025, hosted at Thorpe Park in Surrey, combines learning with fun, where students collect stamps from various educational activities and exchange them for access to thrilling rides. This hands-on approach aims to make career exploration engaging and memorable.

Participation and Impact

Approximately 10,000 students from 87 schools across Surrey, Kent, London, Essex, and Berkshire are expected to attend, highlighting the event's broad reach and importance in addressing regional skills gaps.

Jen Baker, ACS International Schools partnerships events manager, emphasized, "We're showing students how to translate skills into real careers and opportunities." She added, "This is not a day off school – this is school," underscoring the educational value of the initiative.

Addressing UK Skills Shortages

According to ACS, 49% of engineering and technology businesses in the UK struggle to recruit due to significant skills shortages. The organisers report that these gaps in STEAM sectors cost the UK economy about £1.5 billion annually in lost productivity and unfilled roles, making events like this crucial for future economic stability.

Industry and Organizational Involvement

More than 60 companies and organizations are participating, including major names like Barclays, Microsoft, Surrey Police, the Royal Air Force, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO). Huw Davies, deputy managing director at RPO, shared, "We will deliver musical activities, including the RPO Instrument Petting Zoo, and musicians will invite participants to improvise and perform a musical piece," showcasing the integration of arts into STEAM education.

Event Timing

The event is scheduled for Tuesday, providing a timely opportunity for students to connect with potential career paths and industry leaders.