Year 12 Physics students from Calne’s Kingsbury Green Academy have received an insight into the value of STEM qualifications from the first Briton in space, Helen Sharman.
As part of the academy’s KGA Careers Insight programme, which is designed to inspire pupils to aim high with their career aspirations, the class teamed with their counterparts from fellow Ascend Learning Trust school, The Wellington Academy in Tidworth, to hear first-hand from Helen Sharman about the variety of different opportunities that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) qualifications have offered her.
Most famously known as the first Briton in space, Helen was also one of the youngest people to go into space and the first British person to go aboard the Mir Space Station. However, Helen’s early career was just as exciting thanks to her qualifications in chemistry leading her to a role as a food chemist for Mars, working on chocolate and ice cream development.
Jason Tudor, Principal at Kingsbury Green Academy, said, “These talks are designed to inspire our young people to pursue opportunities that they may have thought out of their reach or to consider new and varied paths open to them.
“By teaming up with our fellow Ascend academy, The Wellington Academy, we have been able to give our pupils such an incredible insight into the highest heights of career achievement. Helen’s talk helped them see different avenues and to be able to pinpoint what they need to do in order to achieve their goals.”
The Careers Insight programme at Kingsbury Green has a regular schedule of inspirational talks designed to introduce pupils to career paths that they may not have considered or thought may be out of their reach. Previous talks include a renowned geneticist Dr Laurence Hurst and the next talk will be by a former professional footballer.
Year 12 Physics student Joe attended the lecture by Helen Sharman, as well as last year’s lecture by Dr Hurst. He added, “The lectures were very interesting and they gave me an insight into career options. I also have a much better idea about how to apply to university and what I could do. I’m also doing A Levels in biology and maths, and so I’d like to go to university and study zoology.”