The Somorrostro Training Center today hosted a new STEAM Orientation Day, organized by Innobasque and the Elhuyar Foundation as part of the Basque Country STEAM Strategy promoted by the Basque Government. On this occasion, 50 4th-year ESO students from the San José de Calasanz (Santurtzi) and Salesianos de Barakaldo schools took part, giving them the opportunity to learn first-hand about the diversity of professions linked to science and technology.
The aim of these conferences is to introduce students to scientific and technological professions (STEM), helping them in their educational and professional choices through direct contact with professionals from the Basque industrial, scientific, and technological sectors.
The initiative is promoted by the Departments of Science, Universities and Innovation, and Education, in collaboration with Innobasque, and co-organized with the University of Deusto, Mondragon Unibertsitatea, UPV/EHU, Hetel, Ikaslan, and AICE-IZEA.
“Speed dating” with STEM professionals
Inspired by the well-known speed dating events, the sessions took the form of “speed meetings” between students and professionals. In fifteen-minute blocks, each group of five students talked to a different professional about their academic background, their current job, the challenges they face, and opportunities in the sector.
The agile and informal format allowed students to exchange concerns, resolve doubts, and learn about different career opportunities.
Discovering vocational training from the inside
Tras las conversaciones con los profesionales, el alumnado ha participado en una serie de talleres prácticos organizados por profesorado y alumnado del Centro Formación Somorrostro, en los que han podido experimentar distintas áreas de la Formación Profesional:
- Taller de diseño e impresión 3D
- Taller de fabricación mecánica
- Taller de sonido
- Taller de informática (guiado por alumnado de FP Básica)
- Taller de automoción
An enriching experience that has allowed them to discover firsthand the world of vocational training, its practical applications, and the many opportunities it offers for the future.
Promoting scientific vocations
These conferences are part of the activities of the STEAM Sare network, which brings together educational centers, universities, technology centers, and companies with the aim of promoting scientific and technological vocations among Basque youth. Through initiatives such as this, mutual understanding between the educational and productive worlds is fostered, and young people are inspired to imagine their professional future in the fields of science, technology, and innovation.
