Insights Big Bang Fair ignites passion in next generation - and we were there
The Big Bang Fair recently popped up in Birmingham, marking its tenth – and biggest – year with over 90,000 students, teachers and parents stopping by to find out what a career involving STEM subjects can lead to. As in previous years, we were enthusiastic participants in the four-day event and took the opportunity to show off what we do and why young people of all ages should be interested in science, technology, engineering and maths.
This year, we wanted to show that a career in STEM can be for girls, boys and people from all backgrounds so our stand had a big emphasis on diversity and inclusion. One area we focused on was the gender balance of our volunteers. Over the course of the event we had 43% female volunteers and 57% male volunteers, with an even 50/50 split kicking off the first day. For the first time, we also encouraged parents to volunteer on the Saturday to help advise other parents who were visiting the Big Bang Fair with their children.
“Engaging with young people and improving the diversity of our early careers group plays a fundamental role in our ambition to achieve greater gender balance and a more inclusive culture, says Sharron Pamplin, HR Director, UK & Europe. “Once again, our team of volunteers has done a sterling job of inspiring the next generation to consider a career in our sector. Involving parents, who are among the most influential when it comes to a young person’s career choices, was a particularly innovative touch.”
Our apprentice recruitment advisor is starting to see applications come through from people who were first introduced to our business at a previous Big Bang Fair, which proves that our attendance at this event really can play dividends down the road.
Give a hand to our volunteers
In total, 45 employees volunteered at the Big Bang Fair this year – a big increase on 2017. Together, they clocked a total of 371 hours on our stand where visitors had a chance to play our Rail or Fail board game, build boats out of foil and take a virtual trip around London in 2050 using an Oculus Rift. Some of our volunteers also lent a hand at the Environment Agency’s stand, where our popular Lego Flood Game made an appearance.
“I might be biased, but I think that our stand was the best one at the Fair! We attracted a lot of teenagers and parents, who were both really interested to see what we have to offer. The experience of volunteering at this event has given a great boost to my self-confidence and strengthened my ability to start a conversation with new people. Last but not least, getting to know the other volunteers was the best bit for me," says graduate engineer, Mohammad Shudri.
Signalling engineer, Keith Upton helped to coordinate this years’ group of volunteers:
“The atmosphere and the buzz at the Big Bang Fair is always incredible and with as many as 25,000 attendees learning about STEM each day, our volunteers needed non-stop energy. With some students queuing for half an hour just to try our virtual reality game, we took the opportunity to engage with them one-to-one about their thoughts for the future. I want to thank all of the volunteers for committing their time to this event, and for making it a lot of fun for the rest of us too.”
“What a privilege it is for us to be shaping the future careers of the next generation, added Jamie Sharp, interim managing director, Transportation and a proud sponsor of this year’s stand.
"This event was so inspiring and I’m sure has influenced many of its visitors to think differently about how they can get involved in the STEM sector and make a difference to the world we live in.”
Inspiring the next generation
While the Big Bang Fair is an important opportunity to talk to young people about what a career in STEM can offer them, our network of STEM Ambassadors dedicates time to this all year round by visiting schools, Brownie groups, Scout troupes and the like.
This year, in conjunction with Year of Engineering, we’re looking to reach more young people than ever before and have some exciting plans up our sleeves. We’ve kicked off our campaign with takeovers on Instagram Stories (follow @inside_atkinsrealis) and will be building in more activities throughout the year so stay tuned and get involved.
Interested? Find out more about life at AtkinsRéalis
Sign up to receive the latest content tailored to your interests
Our articles
![the three pillars of sustainability](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/_Xu26CRc709AQgjaEnvzHA/75/the+three+pillars+of+sustainability.jpg)
Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/04/2024
Summary
What are the three pillars of sustainability? When facing a challenge as mighty as sustainability, it's logical to break the topic into more manageable subtopics - like economic sustainability, envir
![A Picture of Kiran smiling.](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/hye9y-sr3EhNNQjcE2fYDQ/75/Kiran+PC+Expo_3+(1).png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/04/2024
Summary
At AtkinsRéalis, we are dedicated to shaping the future through innovative infrastructure projects that make a significant impact on communities around the world. We are excited to share the ex
![A Picture of Ashley smiling.](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/efFOts4nE0kc7gjcek5B5w/75/Picture3.png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/04/2024
Summary
From starting as a Civil and Structural Engineering Apprentice to leading major projects at AtkinsRéalis, Ashley’s career journey is a testament to the power of passion, leadership, and contin
![A picture of Bobby along with his dog at a café.](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/f55pKSdvokbqdgjcsFVGjQ/75/BobbyMasonThumbnail+(1).png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/02/2024
Summary
Hello, my name is Bobby. After playing professional ice hockey in America and Europe I spent eight years as a Royal Navy submarine weapons and communications engineer. Towards the end of my su
![city at sunset with bridge going over a river](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/_mh_o-Brc0S4_wjaU5OWRg/75/shutterstock_1078734461-min.jpg)
Preview
AustraliaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
The Australian market is an important growth area for AtkinsRéalis. Over the last 26 years, we have established a strong presence with offices across Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. AtkinsRéalis i
![image of ravikumar](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/_Bf_F1ctS0oQMAjcyJi5pQ/75/Screenshot+2024-08-30+at+12.16.04.png)
Preview
IndiaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
My rapid career progression and professional growth across engineering roles at AtkinsRéalis. Hello. I'm Ravikumar from AtkinsRéalis' Global Technology Centre (GTC) in India. As I write this, I'v
![image of bindu](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/cFm6WB0AAUp7XQjcyJ_1eA/75/WhatsApp+Image+2024-08-29+at+1.18.03+PM+(1)+(1).jpeg)
Preview
IndiaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
Returning to work after a career break? Bindu shares how AtkinsRéalis can empower your return. Hi, I'm Bindu, an Account Lead at AtkinsRéalis in India. I manage a team of eight that handl
![image of sarah](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/4sECDNnYsEYixAjcyG4n0A/75/Sarah+3+(1).jpg)
Preview
Middle EastContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
How I grew my architectural roots into sustainable innovation: my rewarding career journey at AtkinsRéalis. Ahlan wa sahlan! My name is Sarah, and I work for AtkinsRéalis in Cairo. I began my jou
![image of sudhapriya](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/dNxZbtV-00worgjczLN1-Q/75/Sudha-tn.png)
Preview
AsiaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
How I mix flexible working and family to thrive as a leader in the Nuclear New Build team. Hello, I'm Sudhapriya. I joined AtkinsRéalis in mid-2017 as contract staff on the Transportation team. A
![image of gobinath smiling](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/QPrib_nVaksivwjcyG4n0A/75/Gobinath+India+(1).jpg)
Preview
IndiaContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/30/2024
Summary
My rapid career growth at AtkinRéalis from senior engineer to practice manager Nuclear New Build Hello! My name is Gobinath. I graduated from PSG College of Technology in 2008 as a gold medalist.
![A picture of Olu smiling](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/QhoVhIJjTk4_SQjctz8oMA/75/Olu3TN+(1).png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/27/2024
Summary
Hi, I'm Olutomide. I work with the Project & Programme Services team at AtkinsRéalis. As a Risk Consultant, I'm part of a diverse team that delivers major infrastructure projects and natio
![Yasmeen Mohammed portrait](https://attraxcdnprod1-freshed3dgayb7c3.z01.azurefd.net/1481103/43cc2251-abc6-42a6-bf07-36e410f33bf7/2023.17000.2848/img/0HGNDJnUaUpXjQjcxXh8cg/75/yasmeen2.jpg)
Preview
Middle EastContent type
BlogsPublish date
08/26/2024
Summary
Yasmeen Husain Mohamed is a dedicated professional in the field of Talent Acquisition, currently serving as an Advisor at AtkinsRéalis. Her career is built upon a foundation of fostering relatio
Related jobs
We are sorry but we currently have no jobs in this area.
Continue browsing to look at our other available opportunities
AtkinsRéalis
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We’re devoted to growing the diversity of our people, promoting an inclusive culture, providing everyone with an equal voice because simply put, it’s the right thing to do. Click to learn more.
Find out more