Blossoming from STEM: An evaluation of the Scottish Schools Education Research Centre's (SSERC) Young STEM Leader Programme initiative

Inequalities in access to information about aspirational careers can impact young people's ability to attain such roles (Iannelli and Duta 2017). Young people with more information about potential career choices are better placed to make informed choices and believe they can attain their aspirations (Ruvolo and Markus 1992). The Scottish Government's STEM Education and Training Strategy (2017) aims to empower young people to seek careers in Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics (STEM) by increasing their knowledge of potential careers, and how to access them.

This project evaluates a new SCQF level 7 course offered by SSERC to young people in secondary schooling and equivalent in the FE sector in Scotland. The Young STEM Leader Programme (YSLP) aims to increase awareness and participation in STEM career choices, whether transitioning into employment, to apprenticeships or higher/further education. Particularly, it explores how levels of 'science capital' in people's social connections (Davenport et al. 2021) influence career choices, and the role, if any, that YSLP plays in equipping young people to make informed decisions.