Ayrshire Connects is a new network to connect Ayrshire College's female STEM students with each other, with students in other colleges and universities, and with employers and key influencers. The network was launched by NASA's Sarah Murray on 13 June 2016. It will be available to students from August 2016.

1. Jackie Galbraith
Vice Principal, Ayrshire College

2. About this presentation …
o Date: Monday 13 June 2016
o Place: Ayr Campus, Ayrshire College
o Task: To launch Ayrshire Connects
o Context: Mission Discovery programme running
all week with NASA and 200 young people across
Ayrshire

3. On a mission …
… to get more girls and women into
STEM
o Key strategic priority for the
college
o Work with schools, students,
employers and national
organisations to -
• Raise awareness of economic
opportunities and encourage take-
up of STEM courses
• Help female students succeed in
male-dominated courses
• Connect students to universities,
employers and support networks

4. Houstoun, we have a problem …
o Only 9% of the UK’s engineering
workforce is female
o We have the lowest percentage of
female engineering professionals in
Europe
o The proportion of young women
studying STEM subjects at school,
college and university is persistently
low
o Women make up less than 4% of
Engineering apprenticeship starts
and 2% of Construction apprentices

5. It’s hard, but not mission impossible!
In the words of former US President John F. Kennedy in1962 …
“We choose to go to the moon in this decade
not because it is easy, but because it is hard,
because that goal will serve
to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills,
because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept,
one we are unwilling to postpone, and
one which we intend to win.”

6. … and the opportunities are huge
o Tens of thousands of
job opportunities in
Scotland
o Different routes to
become a STEM
professional
– Foundation and
Modern
Apprenticeships, college
and university
o Employers need and
want YOU!
o Support networks

7. Enter …

8. Ayrshire Connects is a new network to link female
students on courses in science, engineering, computing
and construction with each other, with students in other
colleges and universities, with senior school pupils
looking to start college courses, and with employers and
industry experts.
Connecting today’s women in STEM

9. Connecting students
in STEM courses
College
Connecting students with
students in other colleges
and universities
Connecting senior school
pupils with students in the
College
Connecting female
STEM ambassadors
across Ayrshire
Connecting students
with women in industry
Connecting students
with employers in
STEM sectors

10. To connect female STEM students, for example through:
o Meet the Professionals networking lunches to meet women in
industry
o Industry insights workplace visits to get behind the scenes of a
company
o What Employers Want events to find out what employers are
looking for
Supported by:
o The College, the Student Association and an Interconnect Student
Champion who will link Ayrshire Connects with the Scottish
network
Ayrshire Connects - one small step …

11. Connecting yesterday’s women in STEM
Ada Lovelace,
First computer programmer
Florence Nightingale,
Big Data/Data Visualisation
Jeannie Riley,
Munitions worker, WW1

12. o Ada Lovelace, born 200 years ago and wrote the first
computer programme - 100 years before computers were
even invented!
o Florence Nightingale, whose mathematical ability to make
sense of large amounts of data and present it visually helped
government understand that significantly more men were
dying from preventable diseases in hospital than from
wounds inflicted in battle
o Jeannie Riley, one of many Glasgow female munitions
workers during WW1 who dreamed of becoming an engineer
while her husband fought in France
Reclaiming history with herstories

13. And there are more, many more ….
o Throughout history women have played an important role in
science, technology and engineering but you still need to go
looking for them as this video demonstrates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8DBwchocvs#ac
tion=share
o But, if you know where to look, you’ll find them!

14. Connecting female STEM students with:
o Leading women in science, engineering
and technology like Sarah Murray,
Assistant Chief of Extra Vehicular Access,
Robotics and Crew Systems at NASA
o Local and national companies
o Key local, regional and national
influencers
Connecting today’s women in STEM

15. Connecting today’s women in STEM
https://ayrshirecollegeblog.wordpress.com/category/thisayr
shiregirlcan/

16. Connecting tomorrow’s women in STEM
#ayrshireconnects

17. o Supporting Primary Engineer in schools
o Holding CoderDojo coding clubs across Ayrshire for 7-17
year olds
o Bloodhound Challenge and similar activities
o Girls into STEM workshops at the college for primary and
secondary pupils
o Campaigning throughout the year, eg:
– Girls in ICT Day every April
– National Women in Engineering Day every June
– Ada Lovelace Day every October
Encouraging girls into STEM

18. #ThisAyrshireGirlCan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Att_iZ8M3WU

19. #WhatIACtuallyDo
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23
whatiactuallydo

20. Email ayrshireconnects@ayrshire.ac.uk
Follow >>> Share >>> Connect
#ayrshireconnects