Xodus sponsors STEM skills gap project

Global energy consultancy Xodus has principally sponsored TechFest’s latest research competition, STEM Next. Designed for 16-18 year olds, the programme has offered keen students a taste of industry experience and the opportunity to add something unique to their UCAS applications.

The project, which got underway on June 21, has more than 90 pupils taking part from across the UK and aims to bridge the skills gap between education and industry across four categories: energy transition, medicine and life sciences, technology and computer sciences and food, drink and agriculture.

Passionate about inspiring talent and promoting STEM subjects to the next generation, Xodus has a designated STEM ambassador programme to help encourage and mentor young minds.

Maria Kana, process engineer at Xodus said: “STEM is at the core of what we do. When we heard about the STEM Next project, we were keen to get involved as it’s important to prepare young people for the world of work.

“We are firm believers in the power of sharing knowledge, so in addition to sponsoring the overall project, our STEM ambassadors will also be on hand to mentor pupils throughout the competition.

“It’s vital that we empower pupils to develop their abilities. A career in STEM is extremely rewarding and the critical skills you develop are easily transferable across various industries.”

In addition to supporting STEM education programmes, Xodus has found new ways to engage the future workforce with fun, knowledgeable content. Having recently launched a Tik Tok account, the energy experts share learning resources for individuals to take part in, and more recently, even engaged in the popular sea shanty trend, which saw the energy firm compose its own ‘Net Zero Shanty’ to encourage interest in the field.

Maria added: “The next generation are resilient, they learn and adapt in ways we never have, so we feel it’s important to prioritise new modern ways of learning. In return, we will learn a lot from the new ideas they come up with, as they really are our future experts.

“On behalf of Xodus, we’re looking forward to seeing what the pupils come up with across the various categories and wish all participants, the best of luck with their essays.”

Over summer, students were invited to attend a series of live events where they have had the opportunity to ask questions and get help with their essays. In addition, entrants have access to a series of lectures presented by University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University and TechFest Staff, which focused on the research, writing and critical thinking of their submission.

Dr Martha Gavan, education manager at TechFest, said: “Having Xodus on board is a brilliant addition to STEM Next. The project is in its first year, so to have specialists who are as passionate about promoting STEM as we are, not only back the process but also take part, is extremely rewarding to the individuals involved in the competition.

“This project will aid many pupils with their UCAS applications, and for those who entered energy related courses, expert help and conversation with the likes of Xodus will really impact their submission.”

Working independently, pupils must carry out in depth research before submitting an essay for only one category, and participants are urged to get feedback from peers and teachers before the final submission.

In addition, at least one external industry professional must be interviewed as part of the research for the essay.

Submissions will be assessed by an esteemed panel of judges, and Amazon gift vouchers are up for grabs for first, second and third place with the winner being announced on November 15 2021.

Read the latest issue of the OGV Energy magazine HERE.