Laura Cooper found inspiration after volunteering on a farm during lambing season and the Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology was on hand to aid her new career path.
Plugging the STEM-shaped skills gap in the UK workforce has been a high priority for the government in recent years, and the Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology is supporting an influx of new, emerging minds with access to the training and education they need — no matter their gender.
Women make up just 29% of the STEM workforce, according to the Department for Education. To help bridge this gap, initiatives like Institutes of Technology are looking to change that statistic. Working in partnership with industry employers and leading education partners, Institutes of Technology offer catered qualifications and training that are tailor-made for specific employment skills.
Institutes of Technology were introduced by the UK government as part of the 2020 Skills for Jobs white paper, aided by a capital funding pot of £300 million which has been distributed across all four corners of the country, including right here in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
This International Women’s Day, we take a look at how women are taking on the skills shortages in STEM industries, while also earning vital workplace qualifications, thanks to the Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology.
Laura Cooper is one of those shining examples. She’s currently studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Precision Agriculture at Bishop Burton College, but this came after quite the career change. She never came from a farming background and was originally pursuing a career in healthcare, but voluntary work helping out with a season of lambing sparked a passion for agriculture and farming.
As far as Laura was concerned, that one season of lambing was all it took, and she sought a role at a local dairy to learn more about this fascinating industry. Over three years later, she is now studying her final year for a full Bachelor’s degree and has solidified her place working in a cattle breeding role at world-leading animal genetics company, Genus.
She said: “The future of farming is full of opportunity – more technology and chances for women and young people to come into the agriculture sector. The
Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology has helped develop my skills, especially in light of the industry always changing.
“Studying this course has definitely helped me to get my new job because it looks great on my CV that I’m studying for a Bachelor’s degree.
“I wish I’d known how many opportunities there are within the industry, whether you’re from a farming background or not. It would be great to see agriculture taught within secondary schools, teaching where food comes from and the job opportunities within farming.”
And precision farming and agriculture isn’t the only thing you can study through the Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology. The Institute is preparing the next generation in a number of STEM-dominated fields, from engineering and construction to software development and computing.
To find out more about what the Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology can do for you, and the courses/employment opportunities it has available across all STEM studies, visit www.yhiot.ac.uk.