CAREERS
SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT
The Satellite Applications Catapult, through Satellites For Everyone, is keen to provide young people with the knowledge, tools and skills they require to realise their ambitions for careers in the growing space sector. By 2030 the UK government has estimated that there will be 100,000 space sector related jobs available in the UK, with the majority of growth in the applications of space data and technology.
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FOR TEACHERS
The Satellite Applications Catapult is keen to provide schools with the tools and resources to engage their students regarding Satellite Applications at both primary and secondary level.
The Satellite Applications Catapult has produced two primary school activities, which we can run in the classroom with one of our ambassadors.
Using a high-resolution satellite image of Milton Keynes, the students are provided with a worksheet and must identify objects within the image, on a grid system. This provides the students with an introduction to coordinate systems and Earth Observation.
A craft activity where the students build a Polystyrene satellite and paper boat. This hands-on activity enables the students to understand the relationship between illegal fishing and satellite technology; it also builds an understanding of how a satellite is made.
REQUEST AN AMBASSADOR IN YOUR CLASSROOM
The Catapult has a number of STEM Ambassadors who can come into the classroom for both primary and secondary schools. These ambassadors can run either of the primary school activities or give a career talk to secondary students, from KS3 to KS5.
To have an ambassador in your classroom, please complete the form:
CAREERS
A career in the space sector are extremely varied, and it is important to know the types of careers and pathways available to any young person.
TERRI
SENIOR EARTH OBSERVATION SPECIALIST
I was inspired to work in the space industry through my love of photography, and my love of our planet. I took the expertise I learnt in photography and combined it with geography by using cameras in space to measure changes in the Earth surface.
TREV
TEST ENGINEER
I didn’t realise that my skills were needed in the space industry, this is one of the reasons that I have become a stem ambassador to influence people that the Space industry can be as cool as people think it can be.
FERNANDO
DESIGN THINKER
Space is so interesting and has been fairly closed to the outside industry for many years, this is now changing and people from all backgrounds have joined the space revolution.
GEMMA
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE MANAGER
Of course Space itself is inherently cool but what really interested me to work in this sector is the Downstream side of Space. All this fantastic technology that has been developed for one reason can also be used in innovate ways in non-space businesses.
DELIA
DESIGN THINKER
I always had a fascination for all things space. As a designer, the most exciting challenge of working in an industry like this is communicating what space and satellites can do to the broader public.
RESOURCES
You may also want to look at:
- National Space Academy
- ESERO UK
- National STEM Centre
- Tim Peake Principia – Details of Tim Peake’s mission and school activities provided by the UK Space Agency
- Space Careers UK – Career Profiles for the Space Industry
- Space Placements in Industry (SPIN) – Summer placements for undergraduates
- UKSEDS – The UK’s national student Space society
CONTACT
For any queries or questions regarding the school engagement, please contact satellitesforeveryone@sa.catapult.org.uk
ADVICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
“Anything is possible. Just because you may not have studied aerospace engineering or physics at school or university doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for you in the space community. Have faith and the confidence to pursue your space career. Take ESA Astronaut Tim Peake for example, thousands of people with different skills from doctors and psychologists, to engineers and mathematicians, all worked together to facilitate Tim’s time in space on the ISS.”
Terri
“Follow your passion, if your dreams do not follow your passion then they aren’t really your dreams. Although a door can close it can often lead to new doors. All clichés I know but the main point I think is to never give up. It is a growing industry there will be a job for you in it.”
Trev
“Find something you love about space and read up about it, the research you find may lead you to find something new and exciting.”
Fernando
“You can work in Space coming from so many different backgrounds. The industry is opening up to so many different skillsets – and service design, user research and app development are definitely there!”
Delia