Milton Park inspires 1,000 students to consider STEAM careers in first year

By Daniel Face

22 February 2024

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Milton Park in Oxfordshire has capped off a successful first year for its schools engagement initiative, having engaged with around 1,000 young people.

More than 40 volunteers from the park’s occupiers took time out of their days to host a range of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) activities for students as part of Explore Milton Park.

Delivered by the Ahead Partnership – a non-profit which aims to connect businesses with young people – these activities included careers panels, interview practice sessions and trips to the park.

One Year 9 pupil said: “I enjoyed visiting the workshop, learning about the different careers and presenting all our ideas back.

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“It was informative and made me excited for a future career in science!”

They weren’t alone – 88 per cent of participating students said the programme boosted their understanding of the skills, qualifications and entry routes involved in STEAM careers.

Among the Milton Park occupiers helping to deliver the initiative were Evotec, Vertex, Adaptimmune, Tokamak, Whittard and Oberlanders.

Jeannine Baker-Wilson, senior associate at Oberlanders, said: “Programmes like Explore Milton Park help to broaden young people’s horizons, raise their aspirations, and ensures they have the skills and knowledge required to make the most out of exciting future career opportunities.”

Anna Fletcher, senior marketing and communications manager at Milton Park, added: “A huge thanks go out to everyone who volunteered their precious time to partake in the Explore events.

“Without their infectious enthusiasm and drive, the programme wouldn’t have been as successful as it has been.

“The idea of the Explore Milton Park programme is to showcase the amazing companies at Milton Park to local school children and inspire them to think about STEAM careers.

“We’re looking at ways in which we can roll out the programme to more local students in the future.”

A number of other STEAM work experience placements and taster sessions are also planned for the coming year.

By Daniel Face

Born and raised in Berkshire, Dan fell into journalism after completing his bachelor’s degree in English at UCL.

Writing for The Business Magazine and local Biz News sites has given him the opportunity to chat with all manner of small business owners and share their success stories with a wider audience.

Outside of work, Dan enjoys live music, board games and quiz shows, and is making a slow but persistent effort to learn Spanish.