"Ambassadors both new and existing will be the face of our industry, and this new partnership will extend to every age group of learners, interacting with them face-to-face or virtually to tell the fantastic stories of the work our sector does and how pivotal it is to our daily lives and the UK economy," Emily Noble, future skills manager, Minerals Matter, said. "The partnership with STEM Learning UK will enable us to increase the availability of industry-specific support materials and alliances, ensuring ambassadors can engage in the most productive way possible. We are calling upon individuals working within the mineral products sector to share their experiences and knowledge by volunteering to become Minerals Matter STEM Ambassadors."

Minerals Matter Ambassadors can support in a variety of ways, from teacher CPD, supporting the career-related learning of children and young people, or helping an industry working group. There are so many benefits to volunteering too, not just by giving back, but through individual CPD and helping to address the succession, skills gaps, and global challenges the industry faces over the next decade.

Ceri Saunders, STEM Ambassador manager, STEM Learning UK, said: "The mineral products industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK and employs over 81,000 people. STEM Ambassadors bring the world of work to the classroom, giving students an exciting taste of what their futures could be. For a lot of children and young people, this could be the lesson that sparks a real passion and steers their educational subject choices. We are very pleased to work more closely with this essential industry in this way and complement our other partnerships with different sectors of the UK economy."

Existing STEM Ambassadors can join the scheme by editing their existing STEM Ambassador profile at the STEM Learning website by adding ‘Minerals Matter' to the Skills and Qualifications tab to join the scheme. To join as a new Minerals Matter Ambassador, register with the STEM Learning registration page and follow the instructions.

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