Year 10 pupils at a South Ribble high school have participated in a virtual work experience scheme.
Students at Walton-Le-Dale High School in Bamber Bridge have participated in Ordnance Survey’s (OS) inaugural geospatial virtual work experience programme, with OS teaming up with Speakers for Schools, a leading youth social mobility charity.
The five-day course offered pupils insight into the work of OS and how to build a career in the tech and innovation-driven geospatial industry.
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Hazel Hendley, the director of HR at Ordnance Survey, said: “Nobody knows Great Britain better than OS, and our data is relied on by private, public sector and everyday citizens on a daily basis.
“From connecting homes with utilities, transport and how we communicate to supporting emergency responders, the students will have experience of how fundamental this data is and how we use it to tackle issues to some of the biggest challenges we face.”
Throughout the programme, students learned about the latest mapping technologies such as drones, satellites and artificial intelligence and some core skillsets used by geospatial professionals like GIS (geographic information systems), remote sensing and software and app development.
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Students will have the opportunity to carry out tasks on mapping the moon and creating symbols for a moon base, planning for the future with accurate OS mapping and learning how location data and mapping can help emergency incidents via a Lego zombie apocalypse.
The programme also includes live sessions with OS experts sharing real-life experiences of using geospatial expertise to tackle huge global issues like sustainability and the national response to the Covid-19 emergency.
The aim is to create a window into exciting and rewarding careers held by geospatial professionals.
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The programme concludes with practical advice on the best subjects to study and the pathways available to enter the industry, whether through university, apprenticeships or direct entry.
Hazel said: “The exciting week offers work experience to twelve times as many students than when we ran our traditional on-site programme.
“This programme will give Year 10 students a taste of what it is like to work in geospatial roles, work with geospatial technology and preview what geospatial career opportunities are available.”
For more information, visit – www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/education/work-experience
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