Northampton careers event 'opens eyes' of thousands of pupils
A university said a large-scale career event for thousands of schoolchildren had helped "open their eyes to opportunities".The University of Northampton said almost 3,300 pupils from 68 different schools attended its STEAM Northants day.The event at Waterside Campus had activities, workshops and interactive shows to inspire students from Year 6 to Year 13 in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths.Natasha Mycawka, widening access manager at the University of Northampton, said she was "so excited to inspire the next generation of learners for our county."
"This is about opportunities in Northamptonshire and beyond," she added."There's so much choice [of career paths] for young people that it can be a bit overwhelming. We want young people to find a job they're passionate about."
Major activities and events included an immersive virtual and augmented reality experience zone covering topics as wide-ranging as space, oceans and reefs, dinosaurs and palaeontology.Visitors were also able to experience African drumming and learn about the science of circus and acrobatic skills, with the event funded by Uni Connect, from the Office for Students and Widening Access. One of the children who attended, Uros, said he felt the event would make him "more prepared for the future" as he pursued a career as an electrical engineer.
Another child, Leron, who hoped to become a data scientist, said it was good to "experience some new things to understand what would be best for me in the future."
Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Singing cicadas brought back to UK from France after disappearing in 1990s
Musical insects that went extinct in the UK have been brought back to the country from France by conservationists hoping to re-establish their population. Scientists at the Species Recovery Trust this week released 11 New Forest cicadas into a specially created habitat at Paultons Park – just outside the Hampshire woods where they once sang. The New Forest cicada, Cicadetta montana, was once found across the New Forest but the last confirmed sightings were in the 1990s. Conservationists believe the insects became extinct in the UK because of changes to the way land was managed. Charlotte Carne, Species Recovery Trust project officer, said: 'This has been a really challenging project so it's amazing to see New Forest cicadas in England after all this time. 'It's like bringing them back from the dead.' The adult insects are black with distinct golden rings and transparent wings, with females growing to about 5cm while males are slightly smaller. The Trust recruited a French entomologist this week who captured the 11 female cicadas in northern France and had them shipped to the UK on Wednesday. It is understood that some of the insects are already pregnant and have been laying eggs in their specially created habitat, which is full of their favourite plants such as raspberry canes and hazel tree saplings. Because cicadas spend at least four years underground as nymphs, the trust will not know until 2029 at the earliest whether this phase of the project has been successful. If they survive, the conservationists can release the adults at secret locations in the New Forest. In the meantime, the team said it hopes to import more cicadas from France to continue the breeding programme at Paultons Park. They are also studying populations of the same species in Slovenia to learn more about their behaviour. Dominic Price, Species Recovery Trust director, said: 'We believe the New Forest cicada probably went extinct because of changes to the way land was managed, but we have worked with Forestry England to put the right kind of management in place. 'What's more, we think that our warming climate could also favour their survival, so we are very hopeful that one day soon, cicadas will sing in the New Forest again.' The first-of-its-kind project has been funded by Natural England, the Swire Charitable Trust and the Valentine Charitable Trust. Graham Horton, acting deputy director for the Thames Solent Area Team at Natural England, said: 'This project represents a remarkable achievement, showcasing the dedication, innovation and teamwork that made it possible. 'After years of absence, we finally have New Forest cicada on English shores again and we look forward to the next phase of the project to explore re-establishing this species in the New Forest.'
-on-wheat-in-natural-habitat.jpeg%3Ftrim%3D437%2C338%2C168%2C320%26width%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
‘Musical insect' extinct in the UK for over 30 years to be brought back from France
A species of musical insect extinct in the UK has been reintroduced to the country from France, conservationists have said. The Species Recovery Trust released 11 New Forest cicadas this week into a habitat at Paultons Park, near the Hampshire woods where they previously lived. The New Forest cicada, or Cicadetta montana, used to be found across the New Forest, but the last confirmed sightings were in the 1990s. Conservationists believe changes to land management led to their extinction in the UK. Charlotte Carne, Species Recovery Trust project officer, said: "This has been a really challenging project so it's amazing to see New Forest cicadas in England after all this time." 'It's like bringing them back from the dead.' The adult insects are black with distinct golden rings and transparent wings, with females growing to about 5cm while males are slightly smaller. The Trust recruited a French entomologist this week who captured the 11 female cicadas in northern France and had them shipped to the UK on Wednesday. It is understood that some of the insects are already pregnant and have been laying eggs in their specially created habitat, which is full of their favourite plants such as raspberry canes and hazel tree saplings. Because cicadas spend at least four years underground as nymphs, the trust will not know until 2029 at the earliest whether this phase of the project has been successful. If they survive, the conservationists can release the adults at secret locations in the New Forest. In the meantime, the team said it hopes to import more cicadas from France to continue the breeding programme at Paultons Park. They are also studying populations of the same species in Slovenia to learn more about their behaviour. Dominic Price, Species Recovery Trust director, said: 'We believe the New Forest cicada probably went extinct because of changes to the way land was managed, but we have worked with Forestry England to put the right kind of management in place. 'What's more, we think that our warming climate could also favour their survival, so we are very hopeful that one day soon, cicadas will sing in the New Forest again.' The first-of-its-kind project has been funded by Natural England, the Swire Charitable Trust and the Valentine Charitable Trust. Graham Horton, acting deputy director for the Thames Solent Area Team at Natural England, said: 'This project represents a remarkable achievement, showcasing the dedication, innovation and teamwork that made it possible. 'After years of absence, we finally have New Forest cicada on English shores again and we look forward to the next phase of the project to explore re-establishing this species in the New Forest.'
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
Why there are so many aphids this year, and what to do about them
A surge in aphids is being observed in gardens across the UK. Warm spring weather has facilitated rapid aphid colony growth, with some species previously confined to glasshouses now appearing outdoors. Dr. Stephanie Bird from RHS notes that while aphid populations are expected this time of year, their numbers have increased, with 2025 being dubbed 'the year of the aphid'. Aphids can cause distorted plant growth and leave sticky excretions, but they are unlikely to kill established plants, and the RHS advises tolerating them where possible. Gardeners are advised to avoid pesticides, which harm biodiversity, and instead use methods like squashing colonies by hand or planting pollinator-friendly plants to encourage natural aphid predators.
