BOHUNT School in Liphook hosted the launch of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) LifeLines programme.

The UK currently has a shortage of people pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers, and a study commissioned by the Royal Academy of Engineering found that British industry will need 100,000 graduates in STEM subjects every year until 2020 to maintain current employment numbers.

In response to this, HIOWAA, in conjunction with Winchester Science Centre, created LifeLines, a new educational programme for young people aged 11 to 18 that aims to inspire them to pursue STEM subjects such as aviation, medical innovation, physics, maths and engineering.

By highlighting the day-to-day activities of the HIOWAA critical care team, the skills they need to do their job and the technical aspects of the helicopter, LifeLines is offering young people an understanding of real world applications of STEM subjects.

Head of STEM at Bohunt School, Stratianna Davi, said: “We live in a highly scientific and technological world and our students need to be able to adapt, to understand science, to be committed to lifelong learning and to be competitive in the globalised market.

“In Bohunt School we are committed to a STEM curriculum and the air ambulance STEM event was a great opportunity for us.”

LifeLines will bring STEM learning to life in schools and youth groups across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Classroom projects developed by the HIOWAA critical care team will link directly to the Key Stage 3 curriculum, with a mission planning project testing pupil’s knowledge of maths and science and a lung trauma task bringing biology curriculum to life.

HIOWAA schools and youth co-ordinator Joanna Hennessey said: “The very nature of the day to day work of the HIOWAA critical care team creates multiple learning opportunities to inspire young people in STEM subjects and future careers.

“These young people are the critical care teams or helicopter engineers of the future.

“Our pilots, doctors and paramedics are fantastic role-models for our future generation. What better way to inspire young people than to introduce them to our life-saving crew, who have professionalism, openness, dedication and team work at the heart of everything they do.”