North East STEM Foundation pilots ‘Pupil Passport’ with RTC North to inspire the region’s future workforce

The North East STEM Foundation (NESF) has partnered with RTC North and St Pauls Catholic Primary School in Billingham to launch the innovative pilot programme, the ‘Pupil Passport’. Nine schools across the Tees Valley, involving over 650 pupils are taking part in the programme which is designed to engage with students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The scheme is will also encourage greater curiosity and help students understand how STEM subjects are used in the workplace. RTC North is an independent company comprising entrepreneurs, technologists, engineers, scientists, and researchers. It supports organisations in commercialising ideas, accessing new markets, and scaling operations while prioritising STEM initiatives. Through its partnership with the North East STEM Foundation, RTC North is inspiring young people and fostering a skilled talent pipeline to support future industries. The initiative has been rolled out to 650 interested students and follow them through primary and secondary education. Following the launch at St Pauls, the Head Teacher, Sheena Sinclair said: “The Pupil Passport is a great idea. It will specifically encourage students to seek opportunities and mark their achievements in clubs, competitions, awards, industry visits, reading STEM-related books and meeting STEM Ambassadors”.If successful, the initiative will be expanded throughout the North East in the 2025/26 academic year, with plans to involve more employers, STEM Ambassadors, and funding partners to support site visits and workshops.In 2024, NESF engaged more than 3000 children in immersive experiences, partnering with employers such as Filtronic, Hitachi and AESC. Additional companies including and Fujifilm have joined the STEM outreach programme this year.  The Foundation hopes to repeat the success of its Primary STEM Days with events on 8 May and 18, 19 June, in partnership with Yarm Preparatory School and sponsored by ConocoPhillips.Tania Cooper MBE, Chair of North East STEM Foundation, said: “Our mission is to foster continuous engagement, ensuring every young person, regardless of background, has access to quality STEM education and our Pupil Passport serves as a tangible record of each student’s journey.“We’re urging employers across the region to get involved - whether by hosting industry site visits, delivering engaging workshops, or by sponsoring Primary STEM Days. By partnering with us, businesses are not only helping to ensure young people today are equipped with the skills they’ll need for tomorrow’s jobs, but also fulfilling corporate social responsibility goals, giving companies the chance to directly support their local communities.”Claire Willis at RTC North, said: “We are proud to partner with NESF on this transformative initiative, which has the potential to encourage thousands of young people and help create a pipeline of skilled talent for the industries of the future.“As a company with a long-standing commitment to promoting STEM education and engaging young people, we see the Pupil Passport as a natural extension of our efforts to connect schools, employers, and communities.“Through this partnership, we hope to encourage businesses across the region to open their doors, share their expertise, and contribute to helping young people access the tools, resources, and inspiration they need to succeed in STEM careers.”If schools or businesses want to take part in STEM outreach programmes, please contact Michelle Henderson at michelle@nesf.org.uk