25th July 2008 - Article by Nottingham Evening Post

"I really enjoy it," said Liz, who wants to be a vet, as she took a break from an experiment on strands of
DNA.

City planners hope her enthusiasm will be shared by other youngsters.

They have proposed a "Vision for Nottingham" which has the city as one of the top ten in Europe for
science, technology, innovation and creativity by 2030.

If Nottingham were to achieve this aim, it would mean the city would become home to hundreds of firms
making their money through science - and that would bring thousands of jobs for local people.
Nottingham is already showing signs of development. And people like Liz, of Greenwood Dale sixth form in
Sneinton, will be vital to making it happen.

"There is so much you can learn about and you never stop," said Liz, who was participating in a science
lesson at BioCity, a centre for entrepreneurial scientists and new firms in Nottingham.

BioCity, which hosts 60 firms and employs 500 people, is a science success story and it runs sessions for
students to excite the next generation.

Chief executive Glen Crocker said many young people did not realise science could be a career choice.

"It is important to get the message across that you don't have to be a boffin with a PhD to work in the
science industry. You can leave school at 16 or 18 and be involved. We have people who left school at 18
and are running companies."

Kath Hare, education laboratory manager at BioCity, said: "A lot of students say they don't want to work at a
desk, they want to do something hands on and I say, 'Have you thought about science?'.

"Our job is to impress them, motivate them and show them the opportunities science has to offer as a
career."

Ms Hare takes students beyond what is normally on offer in the classroom. She uses forensic science as a
way of engaging young people. Visitors to her lab are asked to solve a 'whodunnit', finding a murderer by
matching a DNA sample at the make-believe crime scene.

"It is all hands on," she said. "The students have a go at everything."

Neil Horsley, chief executive of Nottingham Development Enterprise, said there were jobs waiting for
youngsters now. He said: "There is a skills shortage in science. It is not at the top end, it is at the lower
level."

Laboratory technicians, who earn up to £20,000, can start with five GCSEs to get started. Mr Horsley added:
"We could be at the start of something exciting" charles.walker@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk