Programmes for Age 12+
Industrial Cadets:
Challenger Experiences
All students who complete their Challenger Experience will gain an Industrial Cadets Challenger Award. If you would like your school to take part in this experience, click the button below to apply.
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RAF Charitable Trust is Headline Funder of Industrial Cadets and EDT delivered Key Stage 3 Experience Days
Challenger Experiences are designed to inspire and engage young people, aged 9 to 15, encouraging a positive attitude towards maths, engineering, digital technology, and science. These workshops bring STEM subjects to life with hands-on activities that align with students' interests, focusing on themes like the environment, sustainability, aerospace, digital innovation, and the built environment.
Supported by STEM companies, global industries, and trusts, the STEM experiences provide real-world relevance to classroom learning. Each workshop is aligned to the National Curriculum whilst offering interactive and accessible learning.
A typical day includes three immersive challenges that link theory and practice, empowering students to believe in their abilities and succeed, regardless of their background.
Industrial Cadets: Bronze Mentored Project
All students who complete their Challenger Experience will gain an Industrial Cadets Challenger Award. If you would like your school to take part in this experience, click the button below to apply.
Bronze Mentored Projects allows your students the opportunity to gain essential skills for learning, life and work-readiness, by collaborating in small teams of up to 6 students on a dedicated STEM project.
During the programme, the team will explore potential career paths and discover diverse opportunities in STEM sector whilst being guided by a mentor from a partner company.
Upon completing the programme, students will graduate as Bronze-level Industrial Cadets, earning a nationally recognised award that serves as evidence of their experience and enhances future applications and career prospects.
Industrial Cadets: Bronze Routes into STEM
Routes into STEM is an innovative three-day local (non-residential) experience that gives you the amazing chance to help understand the different routes available into further STEM education and career pathways. You will have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of life at STEM educational providers and companies, spending one day at each.
At the end of the scheme, students graduate as Bronze-level Industrial Cadets, a nationally recognised award that students can use as evidence of their experience and take forward to complement their future applications and career journeys.
Industrial Cadets: Bronze Virtual Routes into STEM
Virtual Routes into STEM is an exciting opportunity to explore the various routes you can take towards your STEM career. This course is designed to give insight into pathways following GCSEs or Nat 5 and Highers, including study routes via colleges, & university and direct apprenticeship routes through industry. This inspiring course is run to coincide with the Easter holidays, from 4th– 25th April 2025, and students can complete flexibly within this time.
Young people will be able to work through activities and projects at their own pace, tour a variety of institutions virtually and also have access to live career sessions and mentor panels with STEM employers.