Ørsted is the latest firm to back ENTHUSE Partnerships in the UK, targeting their support at schools via their East Coast Community Fund.
The grant, for £20,000, will enable a group of schools and colleges to address local issues of underachievement in STEM subjects through a two-year programme to improve young people’s knowledge, skills and confidence in STEM subjects as well as boosting their career aspirations. The schools involved will have:
- access to bursary funded STEM-specific CPD
- the opportunity for teachers to spend up to two weeks with a STEM employer
- support from STEM Ambassadors
- support to establish and sustain STEM Club activities
Fran Dainty, Head of STEM Expertise at STEM Learning, said:
“We are delighted that this funding from Ørsted will enable STEM Learning to work with local schools to give their pupils a world-leading science, technology, engineering and maths education. Through excellent STEM teaching and by building awareness of STEM careers and the opportunities they offer, we can improve the life chances of some of the most vulnerable young people in the East Riding area.”
Natasha Nanuck, Senior Stakeholder Advisor, said:
“As a predominantly engineering company with huge operations out of the North East, inspiring people to study and excel in STEM subjects from a young age is an important priority for us.
“We operate three wind farms off the Yorkshire Coast and are constructing another two, and we will need skilled engineers to operate and maintain them for at least another 25 years. We know that jobs in clean energy are in big demand nationally, so being able to support projects like this through our community benefit fund is excellent as it is in line with our ambition to ensure a locally-based, diverse workforce.”
Ørsted is one of Northern Europe’s leading energy groups and its headquartered in Denmark. Around 5,600 employees, including over 900 in the UK, develop, construct and operate offshore wind farms, generate power and heat from power stations as well as supply and trade in energy to wholesale, business and residential customers.