A trusted resource for teachers and outreach providers
Since 2020, Neon has brought together hundreds of high quality STEM activities, helping teachers find inspiring opportunities for young people. Discover how Neon has become a trusted resource for teachers and providers, and what's next for the directory.
What do chocolate, rollercoasters and prosthetic limbs have in common? STEM. For a young person, discovering that connection could spark an interest in engineering and technology. It might even help them imagine a future career they hadn't previously considered. But first, their teacher needs to find the right opportunity. That's the challenge we set out to tackle by creating Neon, an online directory connecting teachers with high quality engineering and technology activities. Launched in 2020, Neon provides a single place for teachers to discover activities that meet recognised quality standards.
Turning a challenge into an opportunity
Neon was developed to address a problem facing schools and educators. Across the UK, organisations were delivering inspiring STEM activities, but teachers lacked a single trusted place to find and compare what was available.
The need for better coordination had also been highlighted by the government's Perkins Review in 2013. We knew solving this problem would require a collaborative effort. We brought together teachers, STEM activity providers and professional engineering institutions to understand what schools needed and develop a shared solution.
The result was Neon, designed to make it easier for busy teachers to discover relevant activities for their students that meet recognised quality standards.
Every activity featured on Neon is assessed against quality standards developed by EngineeringUK in collaboration with the STEM sector. But the standards aren't just about deciding which activities can feature on Neon. They also help providers understand how to make their programmes more effective. When activities don't yet meet the standards, we work with providers to identify improvements that could help them qualify for inclusion.
Helping providers improve their activities
One organisation to benefit from this approach is Mangorolla CIC, which delivers the ‘I'm a...’ educational programme. The programme connects students with STEM professionals through moderated online text chats and question and answer sessions, helping them explore different careers and experiences.
Working with Neon's quality standards encouraged Mangorolla to look more closely at what students gain from taking part. The organisation developed a set of learning outcomes, which it now shares with teachers before activities take place.
Mangorolla CIC said:
“The Neon Quality Standards have encouraged us to think carefully about the effectiveness of the I'm a... programme for students. Using these standards, we developed a set of learning outcomes that we share with every teacher before their activity. It has been great to align these with Neon and be part of a directory that also commits to evidence-based enrichment.”
Growing into a trusted resource
Since its launch, Neon has continued to grow, bringing together activities from organisations across the science, engineering and technology community. If you offer STEM outreach, we’d love to feature it on Neon. The service is free - both for providers and for schools.
More than 200,000 teachers and careers advisers have used Neon to date, demonstrating demand for a trusted source of STEM opportunities. Feedback from teachers and outreach providers continues to shape its development, helping us make Neon more useful and easier to navigate.
For teachers, being able to find suitable activities, check their quality and understand how they support careers education can save valuable time.
Mark Lawrenson, former Head of Physics at Kent Hill School, Milton Keynes, said:
“Neon is a fantastic resource for teachers. Having high quality STEM activities in one place saves so much time. It gives you confidence that what you're choosing will be worthwhile for your students. Being able to see feedback from other teachers and find activities that meet careers benchmarks is incredibly valuable. You can also discover opportunities you might never otherwise have come across. It's a great way to bring engineering to life in the classroom.”
Mark discovered STEM on Track through Neon, giving his students the opportunity to build a racing kart while exploring the engineering behind it. His experience illustrates how finding the right activity can help students connect classroom learning with real-world careers.
Looking to the future
Neon continues to evolve in response to what teachers need and we’ve recently brought it into the EUK Education site. We’ve made improvements to the search tools so it’s easier to find activities that suit different students, interests and circumstances.
Looking ahead, we're exploring how AI could simplify the process further, helping teachers discover relevant opportunities more quickly.
As EngineeringUK celebrates its 25th anniversary, Neon demonstrates how we use research, collaboration and an understanding of teachers' needs to create practical resources for schools.
By supporting activity providers and helping teachers find inspiring opportunities, Neon is opening doors for more young people to discover engineering and technology. And it's helping them imagine where their interests and talents could take them.
