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Star speaker to inspire students on final day of Subsea Expo
Posted on 10 February 2023
A renowned scientist and engineer will headline sessions on the third day of the Subsea Expo exhibition and conference that aim to inspire young people to consider a career in the underwater industry.
Physicist and science communicator Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE – one of the presenters of the BBC’s The Sky at Night – will address secondary school pupils and college and university students as part of the Subsea Expo foreSEA Your Future programme.
North-east schools who have senior pupils with a keen interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, and students studying college and university courses with relevance to the underwater sectors are invited to attend the event on Thursday, 23 February. More than 100 pupils from five north-east schools are already signed up to attend.
Held at P&J Live in Aberdeen from Tuesday, 21 until Thursday, 23 February, Subsea Expo is the world’s largest exhibition and conference dedicated to the subsea industry. The final day of the three-day, free-to-attend event has traditionally focused on encouraging senior school pupils to consider a career in the underwater sectors. This year, in a revamped programme, college and university students are also being invited to attend the event and participate in a series of sessions tailored to new entrants looking to work in the underwater industry.
In addition to a talk from Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, the half-day foreSEA Your Future programme will feature an informal panel session with young people working in the underwater industry. They will discuss their educational background and career paths to date, the variety of roles that are available in the sector and offer a snapshot of their day-to-day working lives.
School pupils will also tour the exhibition arena and learn more about the array of companies and organisations that work across the underwater sectors, the technologies they utilise and the career opportunities on offer.
College and university students will also have the opportunity to chat to young professionals over an informal lunch.
The morning event aims to demonstrate to school pupils the importance of STEM subjects and how these can be applied to the workplace, particularly in relation to sectors associated with the underwater industry, including oil and gas, offshore renewables, aquaculture and defence. Aligned to this, organisers hope to showcase the breadth of career opportunities that exist in the sector and encourage young people to work within, and help grow, the UK’s £8billion underwater industry.
Neil Gordon, chief executive of Global Underwater Hub, which organises Subsea Expo, said: “Building a sustainable workforce for all sectors of the underwater industry is crucial to its long-term success and is part of the focus of Global Underwater Hub.
“Harnessing the interest of school pupils with an interest in STEM subjects is vitally important. By inviting them to Subsea Expo, where we can illustrate how these skills can be put into practice in the workplace, showcase the breadth of companies that work in the underwater industry and demonstrate the career opportunities on offer, we can help spark their imagination.
“This year’s expanded programme, foreSEA Your Future, brings in new elements and will help set the scene for both senior school pupils and college and university students. With her engaging presentation style and a fascinating career path, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock is really going to inspire the youngsters and demonstrate that any career aspirations can be achieved. While the session featuring the young industry professionals will highlight how varied the roles, both onshore and offshore, in the underwater industry are and how there is no one path to working in a specific role. It is shaping up to be a fantastic morning.”
Schools, college and universities interested in finding out more about the foreSEA Your Future event can click here for more information or e-mail events@theguh.co.uk.
Entrance to Subsea Expo is free of charge and advance registration is recommended to avoid queues on the day.
