How to kickstart your career in STEM
Posted on 20th March 2025 at 17:31
It’s pretty common for people to dream of a career in STEM without knowing where to start.
School leavers are often pushed towards the university route, but the reality is that this type of learning doesn’t work for everyone and courses don’t always give you the hands-on, real-world experience that employers value.
And it’s not just school leavers experiencing this problem either - many people who have been out of education for many years and want to return feel overwhelmed and have no idea how to get back into it.
But that’s where we can help. Whether you’re a school leaver looking to take the next step, or someone returning to education after many years, we can help you kickstart your STEM career.
Start at the very beginning
Once you know what STEM industry you’d like to work in, a good place to start is thinking about what style of learning suits you best.
If you prefer learning practically, then things like T Levels, a Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) or an apprenticeship might work for you, whereas if you prefer classroom-based learning then you might be better with a A-Levels, a foundation degree or a full Bachelor’s degree.
Which course is best suited to you will also depend on what level of qualification you already have - as you’ll generally want to go for the next level up from your existing qualifications. Here’s a breakdown of the different levels of each qualification:
T Level - Level 3
A Level - Level 3
HNC - Level 4
HND - Level 5
Foundation degree - Level 5
Bachelor’s degree - Level 6
Apprenticeship - Level 2 to Level 7
What next?
After deciding what qualification you’d like to work towards, the next step is finding an education provider that offers what you need in the STEM subject you’d like to study.
The Lincolnshire Institute of Technology is a partnership between nine education providers across Lincolnshire, and they all offer a range of STEM qualifications suitable for people at any stage of their education journey.
Our partners include the University of Lincoln, University Campus North Lincolnshire, University Centre Grimsby, Boston College, Grantham College and University Centre, Lincoln College, Riseholme College, Lincoln UTC and Stamford College - take a look at their websites to see if they offer the course you’re interested in.
And if you’re worried about juggling your new studies with other commitments, don’t panic. Many of our existing students are subject to demands that mean flexibility is critical to accessing learning, whether this is shift work, employment or caring for family members. With this in mind, our education partners all offer flexible provision where possible to ensure they’re meeting every student’s needs.
Options include full-time and part-time courses, as well as online learning, and we also offer individual units in isolation - which is ideal if you don’t require the full qualification, but specific content or units would be beneficial.
Think about the future
Taking that first step towards your dream STEM career is a great achievement, but it’s also helpful to think beyond education - how will you land a job after you’ve graduated?
You’ll need to start developing links with local employers and this is something you’ll easily be able to achieve when studying a Lincolnshire Institute of Technology course.
We work with three core employment partners - Bakkavor, Quickline Communications and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust - as well as being supported by over 200 employers who use the education and training facilities of our education partners.
Employers help our students by providing work experience, real projects to get involved with, research opportunities and site visits, as well as offering mock interviews and industry talks. These things all help our students to form valuable connections with local employers and increase their job prospects after graduation.
So, what are you waiting for? We’d love to play a part in your education journey, so contact mlochran@lincoln.ac.uk for referral to a partner or visit our partner websites below.
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