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Students say programme is gateway to dream jobs

Chris Craddock
BBC Jersey communities reporter
BBC Chlodie and Lucy are standing outdoors on a paved area with trees in the background. Lucy is on right and has long, straight hair and is wearing a black T-shirt. Chlodie is on the right and has shoulder-length hair and is wearing a dark blue sweatshirt with an orange lanyard around their neck, which holds an ID card. In the background, several other people are gathered near a go-kart.BBC
Chlodie (left) and Lucy helped to build and race a go-kart as part of the new project

A new programme is helping pupils progress towards their dream jobs, say students in Jersey.

Chlodie, 17, and Lucy, 15, from Hautlieu School have been on the STEM On Track programme which taught students to build a go-kart before they learnt to ride and race in it.

They were selected from the course to go to the UK where they earned their racing licences.

It is part of work to get more girls studying subjects like science, technology, engineering and maths which are traditionally dominated by male students.

Hautlieu School Chloe and Lucy are in racing suits are kneeling on either side of a go-kart with the number 5 on its front. They are holding helmets and posing for a photo in what appears to be a parking area with several vehicles and tents in the backgroundHautlieu School
Chlodie and Lucy got their racing licences as part of the programme

Chlodie and Lucy are both fans of Formula 1 and the course involved them training with the Alpine FI Team in the UK.

Chlodie said: "It's been really exciting because every week we've been able to see more and more, progress with our go-kart as it's been built and then going to the UK for the racing was really fun.

"So I'm a big fan of F1 and this is a really good gateway into that."

Lucy added: "I think a lot more people are going to try to do it as my friends have seen me doing it and really enjoying it plus I'm a big Formula 1 fan so this is very exciting for me."

The STEM On Track works with Alpine F1 Team to help train students and teach them about engineering and racing.

Three students are working on a go-kart with the number 55 on its side. The go-kart has a red frame and black body s. One person is kneeling by the front left wheel, another is seated in the driver's seat, and the third person is bending over near the rear right wheel. The background consists of dense green foliage and a metal fence.
The students built the go-kart from scratch

Hautlieu physics teacher Carl Bowen-Price, who worked to bring the project to the school, said "I was very focused on bringing exam success" but wanted "to focus on delivering opportunities Jersey students don't normally get".

Mr Bowen-Price added: "I want to work closely with the government and I'm hoping to have some talks soon to get this spread across all schools."

The school will be able to continue with the project for the next three years after it secured funding from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

A classroom filled with students wearing white lab coats and safety goggles, engaged in various scientific activities. The focus is on Evie who is standing in the foreground, with other students working at lab benches in the background. The classroom has a bulletin board with colourful posters and a large window letting in natural light.
Evie, 15, is one of the students studying daffodils DNA
Johana is wearing a white lab coat stands in the foreground of a science classroom. The person's face is blurred for privacy. In the background, several other individuals, also in white lab coats, are engaged in various activities around laboratory tables. The room is well-lit with large windows on one side and colorful decorations on the walls. There are blue chairs and desks scattered throughout the room.
Johana, 17, says there are exciting real-world applications to what they are learning

The school is also hoping to encourage more people from different backgrounds to study science at A-level with a new STEM project which sees students learn how to extract DNA from daffodils.

The University of Dundee runs the program which schools across the British Isles take part in and the class is almost split evenly between boys and girls.

Evie, 16, said "it's nice to see so many girls here" and "it's important to challenge those barriers and it's an exciting opportunity that all girls should go for".

Johana, 17, added: "It's been one of the most interesting projects I've been a part of because finding ways to sequence DNA could change the world of medicine and help people with diseases..."

Three female students wearing white lab coats and gloves are engaged in a laboratory activity. One person is holding a pipette, while another is observing closely. The background features colorful posters and drawings on a blue wall.
Students have enjoyed getting hands-on with this project

The project is being led by biology teacher Jon Hale who started the project at Beaulieu Convent School where he is the assistant head teacher.

He said: "The University of Dundee saw potential in our work and have ed us so we can go bigger which is how we've now got schools in Jersey all the way to Orkney involved."

Mr Hale added that "there are close to 30 schools across the UK working on this" and "it would be great to have every secondary school in Jersey have its own project like this".

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