100 young girls from local secondary schools attended a Girls in STEM event at Farnham College on Thursday 20 March.
Groups of year 7 and 8 pupils from Weydon, Farnham Heath End School, Christ’s College and Oakmoor School attended the one-day event at the campus on Morley Road.
Representatives from McLaren Automotive, Network Rail, the Royal Air Force, and SATRO attended the event, delivering engaging presentations and hands-on workshops that offered pupils a valuable insight into the exciting opportunities available to them through a career in STEM.
The event began with a warm welcome from Ioan Davies, Director of Delivery for Academic Studies at Farnham College, followed by an inspiring talk from special guest speaker Dr Paola Pinilla, an astrophysicist from UCL. Dr Pinilla shared insights into her remarkable career in a field historically dominated by men, encouraging the all-female audience to explore the vast opportunities available to them in STEM. Farnham College will be launching a Space Pathway in September 2025, with applications now open for prospective students.
From reaction time testing with the RAF to designing a super car of the future, the visitors to the college spent the day getting creative with engineering concepts and strategising over set challenges.
The event was also fortunate to have the support of two female STEM undergraduates from the University of Surrey. Shannon, a fourth-year Veterinary Medicine student, and Amelia, a fourth-year Engineering student, were on hand to chat with guests about their courses and future career goals, as well as taking part in some of the practical sessions throughout the day.
Christine Hill, School’s Partner for Activate Learning’s Surrey Colleges said: “The event was a great success. The students were fully engaged, the staff thoroughly enjoyed it, and the employers were fantastic. There was a lot of positive interaction throughout the day.”
“I believe the experience will not only inspire the girls to consider STEM subjects when choosing their GCSE and vocational pathways, but it’s also given them a glimpse into college life and the opportunities available to them at Farnham College.”
Find out more about all courses, including all STEM subjects, available at Farnham College here or contact Activate Learning on 0800 612 6008.
Alternatively, come and talk to the Farnham College team directly by attending the next Open Event on Wednesday 30 April, 4:30pm – 7pm.