Could Cornwall’s Future Be in STEM? Young People Explore Exciting Career Paths in Mining and Engineering

Engaging Events Highlight Career Opportunities

A series of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) career events have given young people across Cornwall the chance to explore opportunities in mining, engineering, and renewable energy. Organised in collaboration with leading employers and colleges, the events showcased career pathways in the region’s growing geo-resources sector.

Imerys, a key player in Cornwall’s mining industry, participated in these events alongside STEM UK, the University of Exeter, Truro & Penwith College, and the Geo Services Cluster Cornwall.

On Friday 14th February, a careers day at Truro & Penwith College’s STEM and Health Skills Centre in Bodmin introduced students to cutting-edge technologies and career opportunities in responsible mining and renewable energy.

Showcasing Cornwall’s Geo-Resources Sector

Tom Lal, business partnership coordinator at Truro & Penwith College, who helped organise the event, emphasised the importance of developing a skilled workforce:

“Cornwall’s Geo-Resources sector has a bright future, but its success depends on a well-trained and highly skilled workforce. During ‘National Apprenticeship Week’, we hosted this exciting careers event at our STEM & Health Skills Centre in Bodmin to inspire school students and highlight the diverse pathways available in this innovative sector. Investing in skills today means building a sustainable, prosperous industry for tomorrow.”

Imerys played a key role throughout the day, offering a careers stand, interactive workshops, and guest speakers to highlight apprenticeship and work placement opportunities.

Hands-On Learning and Industry Insights

Clare Sleeman, talent and administration manager at Imerys, delivered a presentation titled ‘Imerys: Building a Future Talent Pipeline’, where she discussed how the company’s apprenticeship and work placement schemes are shaping the industry’s future:

“I wanted to explain how the Imerys apprenticeships and work placement scheme currently operates, the impact it has on our business and the importance of engaging with colleges and schools to inspire students to think about a career in this sector.

“It is crucial that we invest in the future and I am proud to highlight the successful apprenticeship scheme we run at Imerys.”

Students had the chance to speak with industry professionals, including senior HR advisor Mark Crawford and geologist Josh Catton, while current apprentices Dan Liston and Jacob Marston shared their experiences of working at Imerys.

In the afternoon, younger students took part in interactive workshops, including a drone simulator, a mine replica in Minecraft, and science experiments demonstrating real-world engineering applications.

Tanmoy Maitra, senior paint and coatings scientist at Imerys, said:

“We ran interactive sessions to show students how we use our scientific knowledge to create innovative and sustainable solutions to challenging problems – such as climate change. We hope that the event will inspire our young generation to take up careers in STEM.”

A First-Hand Look at Cornwall’s Mining Industry

On Thursday 20th February, students were given a rare insight into Cornwall’s mining sector when Imerys British Lithium led a tour of its lithium plant. The group also visited Cornwall’s largest kaolin quarry before finishing the day at Wheal Martyn Museum, where interactive mining sessions brought history and modern industry together.

David Newton from STEM praised the students’ enthusiasm and highlighted the importance of these experiences:

“The young people were great, really engaged and so proud of Cornwall; its geography, history and heritage. A huge thank you to all of our supporters who highlighted the exciting and lucrative prospects within georesources, mineralogy and geology.

“STEM Learning aims to showcase future career pathways, cutting edge science, technology, engineering and maths, as well as contextualising the curriculum with real life scenarios. In linking the carbon cycle, limestone cycle, circular economy, responsible practices and metal extraction, conducting feasibility tests for lithium mining and the continued extraction of China clay, our partners have shown that classroom learning has very tangible connections to real life application of knowledge and the impact that continued research has on the UK economy.”

With Cornwall’s mining sector evolving and STEM careers playing an increasingly vital role, these events provided students with a first-hand look at the opportunities available—and the potential to be part of the industry’s future.