National Careers Week (2–7 March 2026): help students “own their future” through STEM
National Careers Week (NCW) runs from Monday 2 March to Saturday 7 March 2026 and is a UK-wide moment to spotlight career pathways, build aspiration, and help young people take practical next steps.
If you’re short on time, the easiest “quick win” is to drop a short career video into your lesson and use it as a springboard: What skills does this role need? Which topics link to today’s learning? What routes could someone take (A levels, T Levels, apprenticeships, university)?
What’s in the STEM Learning collection?
The collection brings together videos and career profiles that highlight the breadth of STEM careers, making it easy to connect curriculum learning to real-world roles.
Fast, classroom-ready ideas (no extra planning required)
1) “5-minute career cameo”
Play a short career video, then ask students to write:
• one STEM concept they recognised
• one skill the professional uses daily
• one question they would ask in an interview
2) “Subject-to-job link” exit ticket
End the lesson with: “How could today’s topic show up in a job?” Encourage multiple answers (not just “scientist”).
3) “Pathways comparison” mini discussion
Put three routes on the board (for example: apprenticeship / college or sixth form / university) and ask: what might suit different learners and why?
Curated career video hubs (great for KS3/KS4 starters)
A helpful way to structure NCW is to pick a strand (biology, chemistry, physics, space) and drip-feed one role a day. These career video hubs make that easy.
One simple action students can take this week
If you want a single structured activity students can do independently (or in tutor time), point them to the National Careers Service hub. It’s a solid starting point for exploring options and next steps.
Bring it back to STEM learning (the bit that really sticks)
The goal isn’t to turn every lesson into a careers lesson. It’s to build a steady drumbeat of “STEM is used by real people in real roles” so students can connect knowledge, skills, and possibilities over time.
Tried a careers cameo this week? Share what worked (and which video/profile landed best) in the STEM Community so others can borrow it for their own classes.