BBC Young Reporter @ LCS

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Coronavirus has changed our lives and it is something we will never forget for the rest of our lives. Having a year off school, work and not seeing friends and family for a long time. Wearing masks, staying two metres away, sanitising your hands every minute of every day. We can all agree that Coronavirus has not been pleasant, millions of people have died, loved ones have gone and some of us maybe weren’t ready to say goodbye. Even though this has been a really difficult and tough time for everyone there is one good thing that has come out of this situation…

Young people have become more interested in science and want a scientific career due to Covid-19. More children are interested in STEM subjects and wish to take up a scientific career.  The British Science Association have researched that more young people have now considered working in a scientific field as a result of COVID-19 – with 37% of young people now more likely to consider a scientific career. More children and young adults have also become aware about what jobs they want in the future, but they have said that it will be more difficult due to this pandemic.

Research by Engineering UK have found that 62% of the 11 to 19-year-olds asked agreed or strongly agreed that finding a job in the future has become more difficult as a result of the pandemic. It reveals over 2 in 5 young people reported that the pandemic has made ‘having a job that you can be certain you can keep’ (44%) and ‘availability of jobs’ (41%) more important to them when considering their future career choices. As you can see being stuck at home and hearing about people losing their jobs have made children want to decide what their future will hold. From this experience children have seen how many people are dying and being infected and how hospitals like the NHS care for lots of people which make them want to be like them. Hearing about vaccines, how they work and how they are made grabs children’s attention making them want to help the world when they are older.

Children have seen something that we would never thought would happen and they have taken an interest to make sure that this doesn’t happen again in the future.

Here are what some Year 8 pupils (Elna and Holly) in Littleover Community School think:

Do you think Coronavirus has encouraged more people to take an interest in science and why?
“Yes, I think it has because more people want to make a difference to improve things so less people die of illnesses.”
“Yes, because people have had more fear for their life than ever, and people believe that knowing the theories behind science could make them further understand the situation everyone is going through and make them aware of how to deal with any similar situations if they face them.”

Are you more interested in science because of Coronavirus?
“No because I already loved science a lot, but coronavirus does make me more interested in science.”
“No, I am not.”

Coronavirus has been a struggle for all of us, but it has opened children’s minds and has prepared them for the future. If Coronavirus never happened would children take more interest in science and think about their future?