FIRST Tech Challenge UK - Our mission page - header image
FIRST Tech Challenge UK - Our mission page - header image

Our mission

We’re committed to making STEM less intimidating, more diverse and inclusive

Tackling a widening STEM skills gap

Automation, data, artificial intelligence and digital technology are driving change at an unprecedented rate. However, we are not evolving how we educate young people at the same pace. As the STEM skills gap widens, we risk leaving young people unequipped to take on tomorrow’s challenges.

We want to bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace – using robots, competitions and industry role models as a vehicle for change.

Discover our programmes

62%

of young people doubt their ability to succeed in STEM

Engineering UK, 2020

71%

of young people are more interested in pursuing a STEM career after taking part in our programme

FIRST UK season evaluation 2023

1/3

of young people are not confident in their next steps in education

Sutton Trust, 2022

£1.5bn

annual economic value is lost in the UK as a result of the STEM skills gap

STEM Learning, 2018

72%

of young people who take part in our challenge are more interested in studying a STEM subject in the future

FIRST UK season evaluation 2023

10

unfulfilled STEM roles per business in the UK lie vacant

STEM Learning, 2018

Our strategy

Since our founding in 2018 we have laid strong foundations. Over the next three years we will validate what works and implement new approaches to target and scale our impact.

Read our 3-year strategy

Mission

To make STEM less intimidating, more diverse and inclusive, empowering young people to make informed choices about their future.

Vision

A world where young people are empowered to explore, challenge and grow into innovators, who will take on tomorrow’s challenges.

Values

Learn, adapt, repeat
Drive change, don’t wait for it
Focus on outcomes
Collaborate with pioneers
Deliver efficiently

Discover our programmes

“Out-of-school programs are a really important part of the ecosystem for supporting young people. They offer a chance for sustained engagement that isn’t a one-off session in a day, involving problem-solving, teamwork and other skills, which are really valuable.

STEM is not just a destination but a really important and empowering vehicle that can really help young people and communities achieve their potential, in a more cohesive, productive and socially just society.”

Prof. Louise Archer – Karl Mannheim Chair of Sociology of Education, Institute of Education, UCL

  • We build More Than Robots

    We use robots, role models and competitions to make STEM more approachable and inclusive, empowering young people to make informed choices about their future.