Event showcasing ‘breadth and diversity’ of STEM careers set to be held in Yorkshire

It aims to showcase the “breadth and diversity” of careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing), bringing employers together in a bid to promote and celebrate the very best of what the region has to offer young people.

John Barber, CEO of The Work-wise Foundation, the event organisers, said: “This is our 14th annual Get up to Speed event and we have more science, technology, engineering, manufacturing and construction experiences than ever to give young people a real-life insight into different roles.

“There are dozens of interactive activities and challenges planned for the day, with many employers running competitions, demonstrations and practical experiences to really give pupils first-hand experience of their type of work.”

“Every year we receive some fantastic feedback from schools about how Get up to Speed opens young people’s eyes to the many and varied career opportunities they could consider. It also gives them new connections, makes them more familiar with businesses in their area and stimulates conversations and new ideas back at school. It’s a valuable part of every young person’s education here in South Yorkshire."

The event will begin with a Business Breakfast, themed this year around “Health and Wellbeing for Skills and Productivity”.

It will be opened by the Master Cutler, Charles Turner DL, with keynote speaker Jason Brannan, deputy director of the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre in Sheffield. Richard Caborn, former Minister for Sport and Civil Society, will also provide closing remarks.

Following the Business Breakfast, young people will be given the chance to see some of the UK’s most exciting STEM innovations and meet the people who design, build and operate them.

Pupils and teachers will also be able to explore the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) through an immersive 360-degree virtual tour, enabling them to understand how the largest general purpose particle detector experiment in the world works.

The attraction comes as a result of the National Videogame Museum teaming up with the University of Sheffield and CERN in Switzerland.

New for 2024, Get up to Speed will feature a McLaren supercar – a volcano yellow 720S. There will be other vehicles on show from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, the National Emergency Services Museum, Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Cyber Crime Unit and many more.

In addition, Stream 7, a video production company based in Sheffield, will be creating GUTS (Get up to Speed) TV, which will run throughout the day, giving pupils the opportunity to get involved with the video production and editing process.

Three major competitions will be celebrated on the day including Vulcan to the Sky, AMETEK Land and the High Sheriff’s Building a Better Future Together Challenge which pupils have been participating in in the build up to GUTS.

Pupils can also speak to a wide variety of businesspeople, inventors, apprentices, graduates and education providers about future career opportunities. The Magna visitor attraction will also be open.

This year’s event sponsors include: AESSEAL, CBE+, Sheffield Forgemasters, Worshipful Company of Ironmongers and Stream 7.