Promoting STEM
careers in education
The project will roll out to national schools in Cork, Dublin, Sligo and Mayo in September, to coincide with the start of the new school year.
About the project
Participating schools will have an opportunity to win STEM-related materials (science, technology, engineering and mathematic) to the value of €30,000.
Schools that enter will be asked to demonstrate how they might use STEM to solve challenges in their communities.
The AbbVie STEM prize encourages engagement in STEM-related learning. The company said it wished to showcase the exciting and diverse educational and career opportunities that can be unlocked for young people who develop an interest in these subjects.
Local school visits
The biopharmaceutical company also runs a back-to-school STEM initiative. It supports employees from six of AbbVie’s sites around the country to visit local schools, including their alma maters, to talk about their jobs and the difference working in pharma makes to wider society.
Speaking at the launch, former civil engineer Deirdre Clune MEP said she was passionate about STEM and delighted to support the initiative.
“It is great to see AbbVie engaging with young people in their schools to highlight the wide variety of career options open to students who may study STEM. The traditional role of scientist or engineer has evolved and there are many variations required in today’s workplace. This initiative will make students and their teachers aware of those opportunities.”
Promoting STeM in communities
AbbVie Cork site head Malcolm Garde explained that a research-driven company like AbbVie has to be proactive in its support of STEM in local communities and showcase the diverse opportunities that are available in the pharmaceutical industry.
“Ireland has a highly developed employee talent base, but the global market is very competitive. As an innovation-based company, we need to continuously engage with parents, teachers, schools, and others to highlight the broad range of high-quality opportunities that come from studying STEM disciplines. It’s our job to inspire the next generation of STEM workers and enthusiasts.”
About AbbVie
AbbVie is a biopharmaceutical company and its mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow.
For more, visit www.abbvie.com
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