STEM education, skills and workforce planning a priority to support engineering and technology job surge
07/08/2024
EngineeringUK has launched its policy asks for the next government, which are centred around two clear priorities: workforce planning; and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and skills.
With engineering jobs expected to grow faster than other occupations across the UK between now and 2030[1] and a lack of people and skills to deliver infrastructure improvements, decarbonisation and growth, the new government must urgently address skills shortages and the UK’s changing labour market needs.
EngineeringUK wants the next government to take a more strategic approach to address skills shortages and the UK’s changing labour market need and for this to be led by the cabinet office. The not-for-profit believes consolidating the work of existing skills taskforces under a new cross-departmental skills committee will encourage collaboration, reduce siloed thinking and support the next government’s ambitions to grow the economy.
EngineeringUK also wants the new government to develop a holistic STEM education and skills plan, which, if acted on, will help deliver the engineering and technology workforce that the UK so urgently needs and address issues and concerns in the education sector.
EngineeringUK’s policy priorities for the next government are:
Strategic workforce planning:
- Establish a national engineering and technology workforce strategy
- Ensure a strategic approach to workforce planning based on workforce needs
- Enhance diversity in the STEM workforce
- Support international talent via appropriate immigration and visa systems
- Link STEM education and skills planning to the strategic workforce plan.
STEM education and skills plan:
- Deliver on careers provision
- Grow and sustain engineering apprenticeships for young people
- Commit to T Levels
- Improve STEM teacher recruitment, training and retention.
Beatrice Barleon, Head of Public Affairs and Policy, commented: “We are asking the next government to take urgent action on workforce planning and address the critical challenges we are facing over STEM skills and teacher shortages in schools and further education (FE) providers.
“Specifically, we want the new government, in its first 100 days in office, to commit to a national workforce strategy.
“On apprenticeships and T levels, we want to see better access for young people and a commitment that T Levels will continue in England. We also need a long-term careers strategy to ensure schools and colleges have the funding and up-to-date knowledge of 21st century engineering careers required to support and inspire young people.”
EngineeringUK is also calling on the next government to tackle the STEM teacher shortages head on and invest more in continuous professional development for STEM teachers. Evidence[2] shows this training has a positive impact on teacher retention.
www.engineeringuk.com
References
1. EngineeringUK, ‘Engineering skills needs – Now and into the future’. Available at:
www.engineeringuk.com/research-policy/industry-workforce/engineering-skills-needs-now-and-into-the-future
2. Wellcome, ‘Solving the STEM shortage: CPD improves science teacher retention,’
11 September 2017.
Available at: https://wellcome.org/press-release/cpd-improves-science-teacher-retention
