Lab event gives STEM students industry experience

Student Alishba said the event was "really interesting"

A-level students from underrepresented backgrounds studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects were given a chance to do work experience at a laboratory.

About 40 students aged between 16 and 18 visited biopharmaceutical company UCB in Slough, Berkshire, as part of the 12th annual Work In Science Week.

Students were able to attend talks, ask questions and do practical experiments, according to organiser Dr Susanna Bidgood.

Student Dan said the event had given him a "really good insight" into how the industry works.

Dan said the activities had made him think about a career in the industry

In the past 12 years, more than 300 students have attended the Work in Science Week.

The students involved said it had helped dispel their misconceptions about the industry.

"It's more social and collaborative than I thought," said Dan.

"I thought if you were to be a scientist you'd end up going into the lab, working long shifts by yourself and then after that you go home... it's been interesting to see that."

Alishba, another student who attended the event, said it showed her the pharmaceutical industry is "much bigger than I expected".

"It has a lot of subsections that I didn't know about," she said.

"It's been really interesting."

The event gave students important experience of the industry, Dr Bidgood said

"One of our aims for this week is to give students the opportunity to experience the world of science," said Dr Bidgood.

"We choose students from local schools who may have nobody that they know [who] works in STEM jobs... to give them that exposure."

Another organiser, Dr Anne Foley, said a lot of the students involved were from disadvantaged backgrounds, had parents who had not been to university, or had free school meals.

"We're bringing in those students that really need it," she said.

"Those who have an aptitude for science, they are passionate about their science - they just wouldn't have that opportunity if UCB wasn’t here."