STEM skills
For the UK to maintain and improve its competitiveness – and emerge from the recession in good shape – it is vital that business has access to the skilled graduates, technicians and apprentices it needs
Overview
Firms are reporting serious problems in recruiting employees with skills in the key STEM areas (science, technology, engineering and maths) - and the UK's international position with regard to STEM study is deteriorating.
The CBI has consistently called for policies to help improve the uptake and attainment of science and maths at school, college and university. It wants to see:
- An automatic opt-in to triple science GCSE for the 50% of young people who achieve Level 6 at age 14. These students are more than twice as likely to progress to an A-level science subject if they have taken triple science GCSE.
- The number of state schools offering triple science rise to two-thirds of all schools by 2015, and the recruitment and retention of more specialist science teachers.
- Government commitment to an expectation that all young people study maths or numeracy after the age of 16.
- The government prioritising STEM subjects when allocating higher education funding.
- High quality, impartial careers advice that signposts areas where there is growing employer demand - such as STEM.
- Greater employment engagement with schools, colleges and universities to ensure course content is relevant, young people are given opportunities to develop the skills business requires, and attempts are made to get young people interested in the subjects that business values.
