Oxfordshire students get taste of tech careers at Milton Park

By Stephen Emerson

2 June 2023

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Students were given a taste of the skills used in tech careers

Students from St Birinus Boys’ School were given a tour of Milton Park in a bid to inspire the next generation of technologists.

Volunteers at Milton Park, a science, business and technology community in Oxfordshire, were joined by students from St Birinus Boys’ School last week as part of its ‘Explore Milton Park’ school engagement programme.

The all-day ‘trek’ event involved a skills workshop at Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ dedicated Learning Lab and an exclusive tour of Oxfordshire’s largest flexible workspace, the Bee House, to learn more about sustainable buildings, design and planning.

Students then had the opportunity to experience the future of green travel by taking a ride on the UK’s first fully electric autonomous bus service.

In the lab, located in Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ research facility, students were mentored on how to use a micropipette, accurately measuring out micro quantities of liquid – a foundational skill for lab scientists in biotechnology and pharmaceutical research.

Scientists from across the company were on-hand to discuss their career paths and give valuable advice to the students.

Representatives from First Bus, Fusion Processing and University of the West of England’s research team also volunteered their time and expertise, leading a technology-driven workshop and tour.

This showcased the autonomous bus service being trialled at the Park – soon to be operating on public roads between the Park and Didcot Parkway station. The five-year ‘Explore Milton Park’ programme, which launched earlier this year, aims to inspire the next generation into science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) careers through a diverse calendar of events, which are designed to develop local young people’s employability skills and understanding of the breadth of jobs available on their doorstep.

Milton Park has appointed Ahead Partnership, market-leaders in social value solutions that connect young people to opportunity, to deliver the programme.

The latest #ExploreMiltonPark event follows successful interactive careers panels and interview practice workshops with Didcot Girls’ School – part of the Ridgeway Education Trust, alongside St Birinus Boys’ School, Didcot Sixth Form and Sutton Courtenay CofE Primary School.

Events planned for the remainder of the year with the local schools include work experience days, a maths careers panel, more Milton Park occupier treks and guest speaker talks.

Veronica Reynolds, Sustainability & Community Manager at Milton Park, said: “We’d like to thank all the volunteers that have participated in the programme so far, making each event a great success and giving students genuine insights into exciting careers across a breadth of STEAM sectors.

“It was fantastic to welcome students from St Birinus Boys’ School to Milton Park, enabling them to find out more about the brilliant innovation that goes on in our buildings every day.”

By Stephen Emerson

Stephen Emerson is the Managing Editor of The Business Magazine and is responsible for the publication's print publications and online properties including the newly launched Biz News websites in Hampshire and Dorset.

Stephen has been a journalist for 20 years and has worked at local, regional and national publications and led a team which made The Scotsman website one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK with over eight million monthly users.

He has a keen interest in technology, property and corporate finance and telling the stories of the people behind the successful firms in these sectors.