Organisers of the Wales STEM Awards have launched the 2022 awards for entries in a bid to highlight the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) in Wales.
Following the success of the inaugural awards, the Wales STEM Awards 2022 will shine a spotlight on the organisations and individuals making a difference to the STEM agenda in Wales.
With the ceremony taking place on 28th October 2022 at City Hall in Cardiff, entries are open until 9th September.
The awards will celebrate those leading the sector in Wales, those businesses creating an impact on the Welsh economy, those addressing the STEM diversity gap and skills shortage, and those inspiring and raising aspirations of the next generation.
There are fourteen categories to enter, including a new award for 2022 – the COVID Impact Award – which has been introduced to highlight the impact STEM has had on the COVID19 pandemic.
With a ‘Jobs of the Future’ report stating that there will be 142,000 new jobs in science, research, engineering and technology from now to 2023, Wales needs more STEM professionals.
Jeremy Miles, Minister for Education and Welsh Language, said: “The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring that careers in STEM are an accessible and attractive opportunity for everyone. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics are not just subjects to study at school and college, they provide solutions to the societal challenges we are facing, including tackling climate change and infectious diseases. I welcome the inaugural Wales STEM Awards and its celebration of the importance of STEM and Wales’ STEM stars, who are inspiring and raising aspirations of the next generation.”
The Wales STEM Awards are being jointly organised by Grapevine Event Management and communications agency jamjar. Sponsors include Cardiff Metropolitan University, CEMET, Development Bank of Wales and CSA Catapult.
Lyndsey Jenkins, co-founder of the Wales STEM Awards, said: “While COVID19 has brought many challenges, one positive to take from this global pandemic is how it has highlighted the importance of STEM in our lives.
“In the last two years, science has allowed researchers to study the virus, technology has allowed us to work from home effectively, engineering has enabled us to build ventilators and convert buildings into hospitals, and mathematical modelling has helped the government and health professionals look at the spread and potential impact of the virus.
“We felt it was important to recognise this in the 2022 awards with our new category and we’re looking forward to once again celebrating all those championing STEM in Wales.”
The inaugural awards saw winners including CGI IT UK take home STEM Company of the Year (251+ employees), Louise O’Shea from Confused.com take home STEM Leader of the Year and Hazel Thorpe from the IPO take home STEM Woman of the Year.
