Raising the profile of chemical sciences to students

Hosting a programme of activities, Chemistry at Work is being delivered in conjunction with the Royal Society of Chemistry. The event celebrates the chemical heritage of the Black Country and the wider world, presenting a positive image of chemistry to young people from across the region.

The event is free to visit by arrangement with the Black Country Museum and will showcase to students the role of chemistry in everyday life, the world of work and their local area. Students will have the opportunity to attend workshops delivered by local organisations, demonstrating the range of applications of chemistry that they can pursue after leaving school.

"We all remember what it was like in chemistry class at school, with science teachers in white lab coats, formulaic experiments and academic analysis," explained Booth. "Despite changes over the years, chemistry at school still gives students a limited perception of what the chemical and industrial sciences are really like. This was demonstrated by the recent Perkins review, which found that the UK has a shortage of skilled engineers and called for the Government to work with universities and employers to overcome this.

"It's our responsibility to show young people that chemistry is a lot more than laboratory work. A scarcity of natural resources means that research and development in water treatment, new plastics, metals, magnets and semiconductor materials is leading the way in building the next generation of our favourite everyday items, from smartphones and tablets, to cars, smart eco homes and even virtual reality devices."