National STEM Day 2021: Mathys & Squire Collaborates With UK Electronics Skills Foundation To Spotlight Careers In Electronics – Consumer Protection

8 November marks National STEM Day – a time to celebrate
the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) subjects at school. As a firm that supports technologically
innovative clients with IP legal advice, we need attorneys who
understand a wide range of different technologies. We acknowledge
there are too few young people studying STEM subjects at higher
education.

Our commitment to inspiring students to choose STEM careers led
us to the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF), a charity we
have now been working with for over four years.

Since 2012, over 600 engineering undergraduates have
participated in the UKESF Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme, with
work placements being provided by 65 different companies. Of those
that have graduated, 91% are engaged in the electronics and
technology sector. In addition to scholarships and work placements,
UKESF also works with schools and universities to raise awareness,
support students during their studies, and promote inclusion and
diversity amongst them. To celebrate National STEM Day 2021,
together with UKESF we have outlined four examples of the
opportunities available to you should you choose to pursue a STEM
subject education.

Power to shape the future

Living in a world full of technology encourages young innovators
to keep researching, working, and creating. Our daily lives are
increasingly impacted by technological innovations, such as smart
phones, electric vehicles, robots and the Internet of Things, which
all have one thing in common: they depend on electronics. Having
the knowledge and skillset to develop the next ground-breaking
technological advancement can equip you with power to shape the
future.

Power to impact society

Studying STEM subjects can open many doors and introduce you to
some of the most rewarding career routes – from saving lives in
hospital, to researching vaccines or teaching the next generation.
Choosing a career in electronics can enable you to work on the
latest technological advances that will solve problems and make
people’s lives better or allow you to become a patent attorney
who helps to provide the protection for those innovations, and
hence encourage the investment required to turn those ideas into
products that can make a real societal difference.

Power to self-develop

Pursuing a STEM education equips you with transferable skills,
which you can use to excel in professional and private life,
including attention to detail, determination, problem-solving,
critical thinking, resilience and communication. Such skills will
not only make you an outstanding candidate for a STEM-related role,
but also any other career you wish to follow.

Power to be in the driving seat of your career

The demand for skilled scientists, technologists, engineers and
mathematicians is constantly increasing, as the world relies more
heavily on their research and work. With the electronics industry
in the UK growing extremely quickly and accounting for more than 6%
of the nation’s GDP, electronics is an intellectually
stimulating, and financially rewarding, career path to follow if
stability, growth and development are important.

The benefits associated with education and careers in STEM go
far beyond those mentioned above. In an article for
Electronics Weekly, five of our attorneys have shared their
experience of studying electronics or physics and how that led them
to becoming patent attorneys. Along with the UKESF, our mission is
to encourage more young people to consider these careers, by
providing them with the skills and support they need to succeed. If
a career in electronics is of interest to you, get in touch with
UKESF to explore how they can help you take the first
steps.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general
guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
about your specific circumstances.