At the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE), we believe that inspiring our future workforce is more than just an aspiration; it is a mission. Our Inspire and Attract team spends each day working hard to find new ways to bring focusing information about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths, in new and engaging ways to get these topics into the lives of the next generation. We realise how essential it is to enhance teachers with the ability and knowledge to deliver these most essential subjects with confidence in the classroom. Using our Eko brand, which stands for Engagement, Knowledge and Opportunities we saw this as an opportunity to extend our reach to our target audience. This is how our collaboration with Developing Experts and the wider DNE community began.
Introducing Developing Experts
So, who are Developing Experts, and what do they do? Developing Experts is an amazing organisation that has created a digital platform which is accessible to schools, pupils, parents/guardians, and careers advisors. But why is supporting this platform so important? Only an estimated 5% of primary teachers have a science degree, with a further concern that most do not feel confident to teach science. Teachers, like the rest of us, can’t be expected to be the fountains of all knowledge on every subject. Enter Developing Experts!
Developing Experts provides lesson plans and associated materials to schools to ignite the interest of young people in the possibility of acquiring a STEM education, developing STEM skills, and exploring possible career pathways. Their online platform helps teachers by providing valuable resources for lesson plans to make STEM subjects engaging and fun for students. Let’s be honest: making learning fun is critical to capturing young minds!
The Role of The DNE in This Collaboration
So, what role did the DNE play in all of this? Rising to the challenge, our People & Skills Inspire & Attract team put out the “call to action” to secure engaging and enthusiastic colleagues to support this brilliant collaboration for volunteers to support the filming in Abbey Wood. This resulted in the recording of short, snappy, engaging video clips on various STEM themes. The response has been phenomenal!
The contribution of volunteers from across the DNO, the SDA, Babcock, and BAE Systems was brilliant. They turned up with passion, enjoyment, and involvement in the filming process. If only we could show the out-takes before editing some of the video clips – now that would have raised a smile!
Who Are the Online Lessons For?
Target audiences include young people in primary and secondary schools, specifically individuals from Key Stage 1 (5-7 years old) up to Key Stage 4 (14-16 years old). But here is the excellent thing: almost every time, even adults can learn something new from in these videos! I watched these clips myself and left having acquired new knowledge, proving that one can never be too old to learn new things.
This Matters Because……
Our partnership with Developing Experts is not only about creating lesson plans: it’s about igniting passions for STEM in young people and giving teachers the confidence to be able to teach these subjects effectively while building a solid future workforce for dealing with the skills that are necessary in the world of technology and engineering. By making these resources free, it ensures accessibility and inclusivity of education, hence narrowing the gap in STEM education. It takes collective efforts to inspire, educate, and prepare upcoming generations for the challenges and opportunities that life gives.
Engaging our future workforce is inspirational through dedication, innovation, and collaboration. Collaborating with Developing Experts, we provide engaging, fun educational resources supported by teachers. This investment in our future workforce ensures that, through confidence and creativity, the next generations can rise to the challenges of their future workplaces, hopefully in the DNE. At DNE, we are proud to be part of this inspiring journey. Together, we can make a difference — one STEM lesson at a time.
Head to the DNE website https://www.defencenuclearenterprise.com/eko/knowledge/ watch the video clips and test your knowledge and understanding of everyday materials and their uses, light, sound, electricity as well as Earth and Space! It would be great to have your feedback on your experience of the test and video clips.
For more information about the range of DNE Eko STEM lessons we have supported, please review the series of 6 units which includes here in the Developing Experts portal https://www.developingexperts.com/unitlibrary/units/481
- Exploring Everyday Materials
- Uses of Everyday Materials
- Light
- Sound
- Earth and Space
- Electricity
Contact the Inspire & Attract Team if you would like to participate in future STEM engagement opportunities at DNO-DNE-INSPIREANDATTRACTION@MOD.GOV.UK
