Key Points:
- 300 Year 5 students from East London attended a STEM careers fair at Tower Hamlets Town Hall.
- Organised by Tower Hamlets Council in partnership with the LIFT programme, which supports STEM career opportunities across multiple boroughs.
- Event aimed to inspire students by offering hands-on activities, industry insights, and career pathway guidance.
- Sponsored by Lateral and H.I.G. Capital, with contributions from Queen Mary University, Barts Healthcare Horizons, Francis Crick Institute, and Royal Veterinary College.
- Three activity zones: Exhibitors Zone (experiments and prototypes), Careers Talk Zone (industry professionals), and Activity Zone (teamwork and creativity challenges).
- Cllr Musthak Ahmed and Cllr Carole Williams opened the event, stressing the importance of STEM exposure for young people.
- STEM for Life initiative by Lateral focuses on long-term career support, with plans to expand opportunities across London.
- Tower Hamlets’ role in life sciences is growing, with a new life sciences cluster in Whitechapel approved in October 2024, expected to create 4,180 jobs.
- Council continues to strengthen career pathways from primary school to age 25 through school, business, and community partnerships.
East London Students Explore STEM Careers at Tower Hamlets Careers Fair
Hundreds of Year 5 students gathered at Tower Hamlets Town Hall to explore STEM and life sciences career opportunities, engaging with industry leaders and hands-on activities.
In an initiative led by Tower Hamlets Council in partnership with the LIFT programme, 300 students from across East London attended a STEM careers fair designed to ignite their curiosity and introduce them to future career possibilities. The event, sponsored by Lateral and H.I.G. Capital, brought together schools, businesses, and industry professionals to showcase the diverse fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and Life Sciences.
What Did the STEM Careers Fair Offer Students?
Students explored career paths through three interactive zones:
- Exhibitors Zone: Participants engaged in hands-on experiments, explored prototypes, and interacted with experts from leading institutions such as Queen Mary University, Barts Healthcare Horizons, Francis Crick Institute, and Royal Veterinary College.
- Careers Talk Zone: Industry professionals shared insights and experiences about working in STEM fields.
- Activity Zone: Students took part in team challenges designed to boost creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.
Cllr Musthak Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Enterprise, Skills, and Growth at Tower Hamlets Council, opened the event alongside Cllr Carole Williams, Cabinet Member for Employment, Human Resources, and Equalities at Hackney Council.
Speaking at the event, Cllr Ahmed highlighted the importance of early exposure to STEM careers:
“Giving young people exposure to the wide range of career opportunities in STEM is key to helping them make informed decisions about their future.
“Thank you to Lateral and H.I.G. Capital for sponsoring the event, and to our business partners and everyone who helped make it possible. The event was an important step in supporting the development of young people’s skills and aspirations, reinforcing the importance of STEM education in shaping future careers.”
What Is the STEM for Life Initiative?
The event was supported by Lateral as part of its STEM for Life initiative, which aims to provide long-term career pathways for young people in STEM and life sciences.
Andy Puncher, Design Director at Lateral, emphasised the importance of the initiative, stating:
“Lateral is proud to support ‘Ignite Your Imagination’ as part of our ‘STEM for Life’ initiative, which champions a cradle-to-career approach—ensuring young people have the inspiration, skills, and opportunities to thrive in STEM and Life Sciences.
“This event is a vital step in that journey, and we are grateful for the generous support of H.I.G. Capital in making it possible. Looking ahead, we will continue working with the LIFT Boroughs to expand the initiative’s reach, bringing STEM opportunities to even more schools across London’s boroughs.”
How Is Tower Hamlets Supporting Life Sciences and STEM Careers?
The event reinforced Tower Hamlets’ growing role in the life sciences sector, with the Council’s approval in October 2024 of a new life sciences cluster in Whitechapel, expected to create 4,180 full-time jobs.
Through initiatives like this careers fair, Tower Hamlets Council is working to bridge the gap between education and employment, ensuring that young people—from primary school to age 25—have access to career opportunities in STEM fields.
The Council continues to build partnerships with schools, colleges, businesses, and community groups to strengthen career pathways and ensure that students in East London are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed for the future workforce.
