--- title: "STEM Careers at Madeley School" url: "https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/local-labour-market-information/stem-careers-at-madeley-school" school: "Madeley School" --- Monday 16th November is a Week 1/A # STEM Careers at Madeley School **STEM Careers at Madeley School** STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These subjects are at the heart of many of today’s most exciting and important careers – from healthcare and engineering to computing, environmental science, space exploration and artificial intelligence. For secondary school students, STEM subjects help develop key skills such as problem‑solving, logical thinking, teamwork, creativity and resilience. These skills are valued by employers and universities alike and keep a wide range of future options open, whether students choose A Levels, vocational courses, apprenticeships or university. The UK has a growing demand for people with STEM skills, meaning STEM careers often offer: - Strong job prospects and progression opportunities - Competitive salaries - The chance to solve real‑world problems and make a positive impact **STEM Careers Information & Job Profiles (UK)** Students and parents can explore STEM careers using these trusted UK‑based resources: - National Careers Service – Explore Careers Hundreds of job profiles with information on what the job involves, entry requirements, working hours and typical pay. - NUSTEM Careers Over 100 STEM job profiles linked to school subjects and the curriculum. - Youth Employment UK – STEM Careers Hub Advice on STEM sectors, skills, qualifications and employability. https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/careers-hub-sector/stem-careers/ - STEM Careers Resources Database (STEM Learning) A searchable database of careers materials for students, teachers and parents. **By Field** Biology Chemistry Physics Engineering & Tech Food Technology Maths Computing & Digital Health & Social Care **STEM Careers: Roles & UK Salary Ranges (2025/26)** | Subject | Example Job Roles | Typical UK Salary Range | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | Biology | • Laboratory Technician • Biomedical Scientist • Wildlife Biologist / Conservation Scientist • Clinical Research Associate | £20,000–£28,000 (entry) £28,000–£45,000 (experienced) £45,000–£70,000+ (senior/lead) | Lab techs support experiments; research roles often require degrees. | | Chemistry | • Chemical Technician • Formulation Chemist • Analytical Chemist • Materials Scientist | £20,000–£30,000 (entry) £30,000–£50,000 (mid) £50,000–£80,000+ (senior) | Many roles in pharmaceuticals, food, environment, manufacturing. | | Physics | • Physics Technician • Acoustics / Optics Specialist • Research Physicist • Medical Physicist | £20,000–£29,000 (entry) £30,000–£55,000 (experienced) £50,000–£80,000+ (consultant/senior) | Medical physics often requires specialist training. | | Engineering & Tech | • Mechanical / Electrical Engineer • Civil Engineer • Software Developer • Robotics / Automation Engineer | £25,000–£35,000 (grad/entry) £35,000–£60,000 (mid) £60,000–£90,000+ (lead/consultant) | Engineering is broad; professional registration (CEng) boosts pay. | | Food Technology | • Food Technologist • Quality Assurance Technician • Product Development Scientist | £20,000–£28,000 (entry) £28,000–£40,000 (experienced) £40,000–£55,000+ (senior) | Works in food manufacturers, FMCG firms, R&D labs. | | Maths | • Data Analyst • Actuarial Analyst • Statistician • Operations Research Analyst | £23,000–£32,000 (entry) £32,000–£55,000 (experienced) £55,000–£90,000+ (senior) | Strong maths skills open doors in finance, tech, science. | | Computing & Digital | • Software Developer / Engineer • Cybersecurity Analyst • Data Scientist • UX / Web Developer | £25,000–£35,000 (entry) £35,000–£65,000 (mid) £65,000–£100,000+ (senior/lead) | Fast-growing sector with high demand across industries. | | Health & Social Care | • Healthcare Assistant • Nurse / Midwife • Occupational Therapist • Public Health Analyst | £18,000–£23,000 (assistant) £25,000–£37,000 (qualified therapist/nurse) £35,000–£60,000+ (specialist/manager) | Many NHS roles have structured pay scales (Agenda for Change). | **STEM Careers Videos (Including YouTube)** Watching professionals talk about their jobs can help students understand what STEM careers are really like. - What Do You Want To Do? – STEM Careers (YouTube) Short videos featuring people working in engineering, science and technology roles. - Careers & Enterprise Company – ‘Work It’ Videos (YouTube) Young professionals explain their career journeys, including routes into STEM. - Meet a STEM Professional – Energising Futures Videos introducing a wide range of STEM jobs such as ecologists, engineers and technicians. **Recommended STEM Books** These books are suitable for school libraries or independent reading: - STEM Careers: A Student’s Guide to Opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths – An accessible overview of STEM pathways and future opportunities. - STEM Careers by Liz Painter – A clear introduction to different STEM industries and the routes into them. - Horrible Science series by Nick Arnold – Engaging and fun books that spark interest in scientific ideas, particularly for younger secondary students. - STEM‑themed reading lists from BookTrust – - - - - - **Types of STEM Courses & Entry Requirements** There are several routes into STEM careers after secondary school. Students should choose pathways that suit their strengths, interests and career goals. GCSEs (Ages 14–16) GCSEs form the foundation for further STEM study. Common STEM GCSEs: - Combined Science or Separate Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) - Mathematics - Computer Science - Design & Technology Typical entry requirements: - Open to all students, though higher sets may be recommended for separate sciences or GCSE Computer Science. A Levels (Ages 16–18) A Levels are academic qualifications often required for university STEM courses. Common STEM A Levels: - Biology, Chemistry, Physics - Mathematics and Further Mathematics - Computer Science - Engineering (where offered) Typical entry requirements: - Usually grade 5–7 or above at GCSE in the relevant subject - Grade 6 or above in GCSE Maths is often required - Some subjects may require Combined Science at grade 6–6 or Separate Sciences Vocational & Technical Qualifications (Ages 16–18) These courses focus on practical skills and real‑world applications. Examples: - BTEC Nationals in Engineering, Applied Science, IT or Health Science - T Levels in Digital, Engineering or Science pathways Typical entry requirements: - Usually 4–5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including Maths and English - Specific STEM GCSEs may be required depending on the course Apprenticeships (Ages 16+) Apprenticeships combine paid work with training and qualifications. STEM apprenticeship areas include: - Engineering - Digital and IT - Laboratory science - Construction and energy Typical entry requirements: - Intermediate: usually some GCSEs (including Maths and English) - Advanced/Higher: often GCSEs at grade 4–5+, sometimes A Levels or equivalent University Degrees (18+) Many STEM careers require a degree. Typical entry requirements: - A Levels (often including Maths and/or Science) - Or equivalent vocational qualifications (e.g. BTEC or T Level) - Entry grades vary depending on the university and course **How Students Can Prepare Now** - Take STEM subjects seriously and practise regularly - Get involved in STEM clubs, competitions and enrichment activities - Attend careers events, assemblies and employer talks - Use careers websites to research jobs and pathways early **A Year in STEM — 2025/2026** **Major Scientific Highlights of 2025** **Nobel Prizes in Science** 2025 Nobel Prize Winners • Physics: John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret & John M. Martinis — for discovering macroscopic quantum tunnelling and quantisation in an electrical circuit, with broad implications for quantum tech. • Chemistry: Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson & Omar M. Yaghi — for developing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), porous materials with huge applications in gas storage, catalysis, carbon capture and more. • Physiology or Medicine: Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell & Shimon Sakaguchi — for discoveries on peripheral immune tolerance, especially regulatory T cells that control autoimmunity. Context (2024 winners) • Physics: John Hopfield & Geoffrey Hinton for pioneering work in artificial neural networks. • Chemistry: David Baker, Demis Hassabis & John M. Jumper for computational protein design and structure prediction. • Medicine: Victor Ambros & Gary Ruvkun for discovering microRNA’s role in gene regulation. Plus Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences categories continue to reward work with deep global impacts. **Big Scientific Discoveries & Research Trends in 2025/2026** Here are some exciting breakthroughs shaping science right now: Space & Astronomy - MoM-z14, the most distant spectroscopically confirmed galaxy ever observed, pushing our cosmic horizons back to the early universe. Medicine & Biology - First fully personalised CRISPR gene therapy for an ultra-rare metabolic disorder completed in record time. - Major advances in regenerative medicine, including functioning lab-grown cardiac patches and ureter tissue in primates. Technology & Computing - Quantum computing technologies are reaching industrial applicability with improved qubit stability and error correction. - Nanoscale AI chips capable of processing at light speed on the tip of optical fibres. - Boston Dynamics' have developed an advanced humanoid robot called ‘Atlas’, who has recently been upgraded for industrial use with fully rotating joints, human-like dexterity, and AI integration, set to work alongside humans in manufacturing with Hyundai, handling tasks like material sequencing, battery swapping, and dangerous jobs, representing a significant leap in practical, intelligent automation for factories and beyond. Other Emerging Trends - NASA-ISRO dual-band synthetic aperture radar satellite launched for Earth observation. - Machine olfaction systems approaching biological levels of scent detection powered by AI. **Future STEM & Emerging Technology** MIT Technology Review — Breakthrough Technologies of 2025 (These are technologies poised to have major impact) Examples include: • Small language models — AI that’s cheaper, faster, and more energy-efficient. • Generative AI search — new ways of finding information across modalities. • Robotaxis becoming real in cities and green aviation fuels. • Long-acting HIV prevention medications and climate tech such as green steel. Top Emerging Tech Trends Other 2025/2026 trends you might explore: - Autonomous and adaptive robotics - AI standards and ethical frameworks (e.g., from international AI summits) - Engineered living therapeutics & structural battery composites (World Economic Forum list) **Video & Multimedia Resources** Nobel Prizes & Science Highlights Tech & Discovery Inspiration (You can search for the latest videos on these topics on YouTube) - Craziest Scientific Discoveries You Missed in 2025 - New Inventions That Will Blow Your Mind — 2025 Edition - Emerging Technologies That Will Change the World (latest lists) ### Careers - [Careers & Work Related Learning](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/careers-work-related-learning) - [Apprenticeships, Traineeships and T-Levels](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/apprenticeships) - [Careers by Subject A to Z](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/careers-by-subject-a-to-z) - [Careers Information for Employers](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/careers-information-for-employers) - [Careers Information for Parents](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/careers-information-for-parents) - [Careers Information for Students](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/careers-information-for-students) - [Careers Newsletters](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/careers-newsletters) - [Climate Action Plan](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/climate-action-plan) - [Green Careers](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/green-careers) - [Future Skills Questionnaire (FSQ)](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/future-skills-questionnaire) - [Local Labour Market Information](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/local-labour-market-information) - [Modern Work Experience](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/year-10-work-experience) - [Post 16 Pathways](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/post-16-pathways) - [STEM Careers at Madeley School](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/local-labour-market-information/stem-careers-at-madeley-school) - Overview Spreadsheet Calendar - [Unifrog](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/careers/unifrog) - [![SENDIA](https://files.schudio.com/madeley-school/images/partners/SENDIA_email_banner.png)](https://files.schudio.com/madeley-school/images/partners/SENDIA_email_banner.png) [Embedded content](https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2401.063910627133!2d-2.341350923224075!3d53.00123520048938!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x487a60c9d30bbe55%3A0xd7fa755bda883379!2sMadeley%20School!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sen!4v1698144950976!5m2!1sen!2sen) ![Madeley School](https://files.schudio.com/madeley-school/images/logo/logo_(41).png) **Madeley School** Newcastle Road Madeley Crewe CW3 9JJ Tel: 01782 987800 Email: [![Shaw Education Trust](https://files.schudio.com/shaw-education-trust-2/images/logo/set-misc/footer-logo-v1.png)](https://shaw-education.org.uk) **Shaw Education Trust** Kidsgrove Secondary School Gloucester Road Kidsgrove ST7 4DL VAT: GB 358822467 Tel: 01782 948259 Email: Company Number: 09067175 ### Useful Links: - [ParentPay](https://www.parentpay.com/) - [Parent Area](https://parentzone.org.uk/) - School Calendar ### Newsletter ### Social Media - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086910723985) - [X](https://twitter.com/madeleyschool) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeley-school/) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/madeleyschool/) © Copyright 2023–2026 Madeley School School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://madeley-school.schudio.com/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)