Seagate Encourages Careers To ’Stem’ From School Trophies

NORTHERN IRELAND.-Seagate Technology (NYSE: STX) has presented fifteen local schools with a perpetual trophy each, to encourage and reward interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

“Seagate endeavours to find ways to help educational establishments encourage students to take up STEM subjects, to complement our continuing support of Seagate Young Innovators, the Seagate Real World Science Conference, and FOSEC’s Adopt-a-Class and Work Experience Programmes,” said John Spangler, vice president and managing director at Seagate’s Springtown facility.

“I hope that winning an award for STEM with these trophies will go some way towards motivating students. It’s no secret that a hi-tech company like Seagate relies on there being a well-populated future employment pool with STEM knowledge to staff our advanced manufacturing facility. Unfortunately, over the past several years, there has been a decrease in the number of students taking up STEM subjects and we’re committed to doing everything we can to reverse that trend. “

Fifteen schools are already working with Seagate to encourage the development of employable skills through their participation in FOSEC’s Adopt-a-Class programme. Each school gets a chance to bring classes to visit Seagate’s Springtown facility during the year to help them fulfill certain curriculum elements. To date, more than 360 students from 12 of these schools have been through Seagate’s doors during 21 visits made throughout this academic year under tailored programmes for science, business studies or employability.

Seagate has worked hard to develop a fun-filled interactive itinerary for these student visits to encourage them to pursue careers that ‘STEM’ from studying such subjects. In particular, a race to ‘gown up’ in head-to-toe protective clean room clothing is a much talked about finale on the employability visit. The recent donation of £10,000 by Seagate to FOSEC should help the organisation expand similar successful programmes and develop even more initiatives.

Spangler concluded by saying, “I would like to acknowledge our FOSEC associates who helped us communicate our perpetual trophy offer for each school visiting Seagate on the Adopt-a-Class programme. We have been delighted by the responses.”

The following 15 local schools accepted the offer of the perpetual STEM trophy from Seagate:

• Belmont House School
• Foyle and Londonderry College
• Immaculate Conception College
• Limavady High School
• Lisneal College
• Lumen Christi College
• Oakgrove Integrated College
• St. Brigid’s College
• St. Cecilia’s College
• St. Columb’s College
• St. Joseph’s Boys’ School
• St. Mary’s College
• St. Patrick’s and St. Brigid’s College
• St. Peter’s High School
• Thornhill College