2 minute read - 7th February 2025
BAE Systems STEM roadshow marks 20 year anniversary
A science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) roadshow for schools has secured £3.5m in funding to continue for another five years.
Running for 20 years, BAE Systems launched the nationwide educational event in 2005, engaging and inspiring around 1.3 million pupils since then. The Royal Air Force joined as a partner in 2008, with the Royal Navy adding its support in 2015.
The scheme is so successful that the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and BAE Systems have jointly agreed to continue delivering the roadshows until at least 2030.
Designed to spark excitement and interest in STEM subjects, the programme offers a highly interactive experience for primary and secondary school students aged 10 to 13. It demonstrates practical applications of scientific and technological concepts in real-world scenarios.
BAE Systems has marked the 20th anniversary of its national STEM roadshow – the events have engaged and inspired around 1.3 million pupils since 2005 / Picture: Richard Walker/ImageNorth
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This year’s series was launched at St Mary’s College in Hull and will go on to visit more than 500 schools across the country. It will bring artificial intelligence (AI) to life with around 130,000 pupils using the technology to create songs and accompanying music videos with the help of a robot dog called Lexi.
Tania Gandamihardja, group human resources director at BAE Systems, said: “As one of the UK’s leading advanced engineering and technology companies, we have a long history of nurturing young talent and helping to educate young people on the value of studying STEM subjects. I’m proud of the part our school roadshows have played in that over the last 20 years and delighted that we have secured this new funding to take us up to a quarter of a century of inspiring young minds in this way.”
In the two decades since its launch, the roadshow has visited over 5,000 schools across the UK, covering topics such as electricity, space, magnetism, energy, maths, waves, physics, and biomimicry.
BAE Systems has confirmed £3.5m in funding to continue the STEM roadshow for another five years / Picture: Richard Walker/ImageNorth
Maria Stead, head of school at St Mary’s College in Hull, said: “We are very excited to be able to host this STEM roadshow at St Mary’s and to work with such an innovative and important local and national company. As we move into an ever-greater technological future, we want our students to be at the forefront of all such developments. We know our youngsters will take a lot from the experience and that this will help to shape their future paths.”
Together, BAE Systems, the Royal Air Force, and the Royal Navy employ thousands of engineers worldwide and are committed to engaging with young people through initiatives like the STEM roadshow to encourage and support a highly skilled workforce of the future.
