CIEC collaborates with companies to enhance awareness of STEM careers and address the UK skills shortage by engaging primary school children through tailored classroom activities and site visits. Their Children Challenging Industry (CCI) program, ongoing since 1996, has reached over 45,000 children, providing valuable educational experiences that connect scientific concepts to real-world applications. Participants, including industry partners and pupils, report a positive impact on children's understanding of the industrial sector and inspire future interest in science careers.

1. At CIEC we work
with companies
that wish to actively
promote an ethos
of responsible care,
stimulate a positive reputation for
industry and their own business
interests, and increase awareness of
STEM careers in their sectors. We have
the experience and expertise to engage
with companies planning to develop
their education engagement policy and
to explore their Corporate and Social
Responsibility objectives.
Challenging
Skills ShortageSkills ShortageSkills Shortage
The 2015 CBI reportThe 2015 CBI reportThe 2015 CBI report Tomorrow’sTomorrow’sTomorrow’s
world: inspiring primary scientistsworld: inspiring primary scientistsworld: inspiring primary scientists
(CBI/Brunel University)(CBI/Brunel University)(CBI/Brunel University) highlightshighlightshighlights
the growing need to tackle the UKthe growing need to tackle the UKthe growing need to tackle the UK
skills shortage at grass roots level;skills shortage at grass roots level;skills shortage at grass roots level;
‘Growing STEM skill shortages‘Growing STEM skill shortages‘Growing STEM skill shortages
are a real concern for businessesare a real concern for businessesare a real concern for businesses
across the UK – We are notacross the UK – We are notacross the UK – We are not
seeing enough young peopleseeing enough young peopleseeing enough young people
pursuing further study orpursuing further study orpursuing further study or
careers in science, technology,careers in science, technology,careers in science, technology,
engineering or maths and this isengineering or maths and this isengineering or maths and this is
an attitude that is in many casesan attitude that is in many casesan attitude that is in many cases
embedded at primary school.’embedded at primary school.’embedded at primary school.’
Our aim is...
...to work alongside industry partners
to develop relevant classroom
activities, resources and a site tour
at their premises or ambassador visit
to schools tailored to the individual
company; that will be stimulating,
memorable and safe for primary
school children.
CIEC has been delivering the
Children Challenging Industry
(CCI) programme since 1996
reaching over 45,000 children
in 1500 primary schools. The
CCI programme has been the
subject of several research
projects and has been
continually evaluated.

2. A dedicated CCI advisory teacher plays a central and vital role in the
programme, acting as a liaison between the classroom and industry.
Having extensive teaching experience and an in-depth knowledge
of the National Curriculum for Science at primary level, the advisory
teacher is in a position to relay the specific educational needs of the
children to their industry hosts.
B
oth our industry partners and
pupils agree that the site visit
is their favourite part of the
programme. Some of our industry hosts
have really taken up the challenge of
creating imaginative and engaging
ways of exploring their workplaces, by
creating fantastic props, demonstrations
and hands-on tasks to illustrate parts of
the site that the children might not be
able to see in person.
Our industry partners are frequently
delighted by the children’s knowledge
and interest in their jobs and site,
developed through the classroom
lessons tailored to their story.
The children takeThe children takeThe children take
so much away fromso much away fromso much away from
their experience oftheir experience oftheir experience of
CCI and our industryCCI and our industryCCI and our industry
partners are ablepartners are ablepartners are able
to see how they areto see how they areto see how they are
directly inspiring thedirectly inspiring thedirectly inspiring the
STEM industrialistsSTEM industrialistsSTEM industrialists
of the future.of the future.of the future.

3. “I have never felt so personally“I have never felt so personally“I have never felt so personally
rewarded in showing off ourrewarded in showing off ourrewarded in showing off our
manufacturing building to amanufacturing building to amanufacturing building to a
group of visitors in the last 10group of visitors in the last 10group of visitors in the last 10
years. The children were theyears. The children were theyears. The children were the
most energetic, quizzical group,most energetic, quizzical group,most energetic, quizzical group,
with an infectious enthusiasmwith an infectious enthusiasmwith an infectious enthusiasm
to learn, to understand whatto learn, to understand whatto learn, to understand what
we do as scientist at Fujfilmwe do as scientist at Fujfilmwe do as scientist at Fujfilm
Diosynth Biotechnologies”Diosynth Biotechnologies”Diosynth Biotechnologies”
Neil BurkeNeil BurkeNeil Burke
Fujfilm Diosynth BiotechnologiesFujfilm Diosynth BiotechnologiesFujfilm Diosynth Biotechnologies
ManagerManagerManager
“CCI stands out as a programme“CCI stands out as a programme“CCI stands out as a programme
that really does change youngthat really does change youngthat really does change young
people’s perceptions about thepeople’s perceptions about thepeople’s perceptions about the
chemical industry and a careerchemical industry and a careerchemical industry and a career
in science. Not only does itin science. Not only does itin science. Not only does it
have measurable impact on thehave measurable impact on thehave measurable impact on the
children involved, it also offerschildren involved, it also offerschildren involved, it also offers
employee development andemployee development andemployee development and
aligns well with our strategicaligns well with our strategicaligns well with our strategic
objectives”objectives”objectives”
Sally JonesSally JonesSally Jones
Director – Investor Relations andDirector – Investor Relations andDirector – Investor Relations and
Corporate Communications –Corporate Communications –Corporate Communications –
Johnson MattheyJohnson MattheyJohnson Matthey
Challenging

4. TO LEARN MORE OR FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BECOMETO LEARN MORE OR FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BECOMETO LEARN MORE OR FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BECOME
INVOLVED PLEASE:INVOLVED PLEASE:INVOLVED PLEASE:
Visit our website:Visit our website:Visit our website: www.ciec.org.ukwww.ciec.org.ukwww.ciec.org.uk
Call us onCall us onCall us on 01904 32252301904 32252301904 322523
Email:Email:Email: ciec@york.ac.ukciec@york.ac.ukciec@york.ac.uk
Centre for Industry Education CollaborationCentre for Industry Education CollaborationCentre for Industry Education Collaboration
University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DDUniversity of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DDUniversity of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD
“The underlying philosophy of the CCI programme is for primary school
children to experience science, presented in an industrial context.
Motivating and exciting site visits or ambassador visits to school,
organised in liaison with our industrial partners, enable children to see
how scientific concepts are applied from classroom scenarios to real
life – often resulting in a more positive, memorable view of modern-day
industry and raised aspirations. We are forever grateful to the companies
involved in the programme, for their financial support and investment in
time and workforce power into developing effective demonstrations and
activities that make children’s visits both educational and enjoyable.”
Nicky Waller
CIEC Advisory Teacher