Island businesses and organisations are being invited to support two major STEM education events taking place during the 2026/27 academic year.

STEMFutures, a new event for Year 9 students, will take place at QEII High School in Peel on October 14 and 15, while the island’s flagship primary school STEM event, STEMFest, returns for its sixth year at the Villa Marina on February 10 and 11.

Developed following feedback from industry and collaboration between schools and employers, STEMFutures aims to bridge the gap between early STEM engagement at primary school and the point when students begin considering their GCSE subject choices.

The event will give students an opportunity to meet employers, explore apprenticeship routes and learn how science, technology, engineering and mathematics can lead to careers across different industries.

STEMFest, meanwhile, brings together Year 5 and 6 pupils for two days of hands-on activities designed and delivered by local businesses.

In 2026, the event welcomed students from all 33 primary schools in the island for the first time.

Businesses from the public and private sectors are being invited to deliver interactive activities and demonstrations at both events.

Organisers say the events will show how STEM subjects, alongside creativity, design and problem-solving skills, are applied outside the classroom.

Both are organised by Business Isle of Man, an executive agency of the Department for Enterprise, in collaboration with industry, Digital Isle of Man, Finance Isle of Man and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.

Kirree Gooberman, chief executive officer at Business Isle of Man, said: ‘STEMFest has become a fantastic example of what can be achieved when education and industry work together.

‘Every year, businesses across the island give their time and expertise to create memorable learning experiences for students.

‘The introduction of STEMFutures builds on that success and responds directly to feedback from industry around the need to engage students at another key stage in their education.

‘By bringing schools and employers together, the event will help strengthen the link between early STEM engagement, GCSE subject choices and future career pathways.

‘We would encourage organisations of all sizes to get involved and share their expertise with the next generation of talent.’

The Awareness of Careers in Engineering (ACE) Forum, which has worked with schools and industry for more than 16 years, has also helped shape STEMFutures.

Melanie Beattie, human resources manager at Swagelok and chair of the ACE Forum, said: ‘STEMFutures is an exciting addition that will give students greater visibility of the career and training pathways available to them.

‘It will also help young people understand the skills and qualifications that employers are looking for, giving them greater confidence when making future subject and career choices.

‘By bringing employers directly into the learning experience, students will gain a better understanding of local industries and the many different routes into STEM-related careers.’

Businesses interested in taking part in either event are encouraged to email [email protected] for further information.