The STEM Exchange, pioneered by The Stem Alliance, is an initiative commissioned and funded by the Education and Training Foundation. It is designed to bring further education and industry together with industry offering development opportunities to post-16 educators which will enable them understand the current and future needs of the sector.
Aims are to ensure STEM teaching keeps pace with advances in industry, to increase the supply of well-qualified individuals with the right skills to meet business needs, to increase competitiveness and to influence policy decision making that impact on business.
Al Parkes, Chief Operating Officer of Semta, the charity which runs The STEM Alliance and Engineering Skills For The Future, said: "The exchange of knowledge could be anything from a walk on the shop floor or introduction to your business to bite-sized work shadowing, advice over the phone or the opportunity to attend an internal training session.
"This is about helping teaching practitioners understand business needs, the technologies in use and the challenges so they can shape their teaching to align with industry requirements."
More than 200 businesses have already registered to participate already, with many more expected to sign up in the next few weeks.
An introductory video – aimed at businesses across the country – gives a step by step guide as to how to get involved.
