Use this as an opportunity to introduce your students to the many career possibilities chemistry opens up for them
National Careers Week is an annual celebration of careers guidance and the free resources available in education across the UK, which takes place from 4–9 March in 2024. It’s an opportunity for students to learn more about the many exciting pathways they could choose if they pursue a career in chemistry.
Chemists make a difference in the world around us every day. They’re changing lives, fixing the future, innovating industry and challenging opinions. They work to address issues such as climate change, sustainable energy and human health, among others – issues that impact us all. Would your students be interested to know how they could help develop a life-saving vaccine? Or invent a new way to cut air pollution? Or create a new type of biodegradable plastic, perhaps? Take National Careers Week as the perfect opportunity to point them in the right direction.
Begin by inspiring your learners with this simple, ready-made presentation. Use it to showcase the abundance of chemistry career pathways available. Plus, there’s a link to a careers game at the end, for students to play and find their dream job in chemistry.
Share your stories
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to inspire your students to consider a career in the chemical sciences during National Careers Week. And why not share your experiences? Tag the RSC on social media using the hashtag #NCW2024.
Link curriculum learning to careers
Use these job profiles to showcase real-life chemists making a difference in industry – and they’re not all working in a lab! You’ll find profiles on environmental chemists, toxicologists, air quality consultants, forensic scientists, computational chemists, and much more. You can even use the RSC’s curriculum maps to find a job related to the topic you’re teaching right now.
Our dedicated teacher page is full of resources and activities for you to download and share with your students, as well as posters to download and display in your classroom. Direct your learners to our dedicated student area and encourage them to explore the many different qualifications and routes you can take to become a professional chemical scientist.
Get TikTok savvy
We know how hard it can be to detach students from screens, so embrace it! Let your students explore the RSC’s TikTok channel. All the curriculum-centred content is tailored for secondary school students, featuring real life career case studies, experiments they can do at home and fun facts about everyday chemistry.
Motivate primary learners
If you’re teaching young learners, we have resources you can use to inspire them during National Careers Week and British Science Week. Get involved in our prize draw [no longer available] – a simple and creative way to get your primary pupils excited about STEM careers, and the winners will receive a £100 gift voucher.
For more ideas on activities to introduce primary learners to STEM careers, check out Steps into science.
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