What did you want to be when you were growing up? If you’re a scientist – and you always thought you’d be one –, chances are you had high levels of science capital as a child. This meant that, from an early age, you had access to science-related knowledge and experiences, recognised the relevance of science, and knew scientists or people working in similar professions.
In fact, ASPIRES, a ten-year longitudinal study of young people’s science and career aspirations, has come up with eight dimensions of science capital. And, the researchers on the project have established that the more science capital young people have, the more likely they are to study science in the future.
Worryingly, a survey of 3,658 young people in the UK aged between 11 and 15 found that only 5% had high levels of science capital (Archer et al., 2015).
Whether we embrace the idea of science capital or not, we all understand the implications of a society that shuns scientific knowledge: national economic competitiveness is reliant on a strong STEM skills base; science literacy has an impact on citizens’ ability to participate in and understand important societal issues; effective science communication counteracts fake news and the propagation of distrust in experts. These are but a few of the many reasons for increasing and broadening participation in science, research, engineering and technology – occupations that are facing skills shortages in the UK and elsewhere.
The aims of Futurum Careers, then, are manifold. With your contribution, we can:
01 Offer teenagers and young adults – regardless of their gender, race or background – the knowledge and confidence to study science – and, in turn, social mobility
02 Provide educators with appropriate resources to inspire the next generation to pursue science
03 Help scientists and researchers communicate their work to a global, captivated audience of teenagers, young adults and teachers
04 Give universities and institutes an opportunity to showcase their facilities and programmes to the best young minds in the world
All you need to do is get in touch.
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