Transcript Slide 1

Senior Leader Conference
Microsoft Research: 31 March, 2011
Why STEM?
Yvonne Baker,
Chief Executive, Myscience
The economic argument
Did you know .......?
• The UK is the world’s sixth largest manufacturer, generating £150 billion for
the economy, 55% of all exports, and employing three million people.
• In 2008 UK engineering business turnover was £799 billion pounds per year.
• With 1% of the world’s population we generate 10% of scientific output
STEM skills are vital in all sectors of the economy, including the high-value
added sectors that are increasingly defining the industrial landscape – such as
advanced manufacturing, low carbon and the creative industries.
STEM skills are in short supply
• Around 58 per cent of net new jobs predicted to
appear in the economy between 2007 and 2017 will
require employees with STEM skills, equal to 29 per
cent of total new and replacement jobs
UK Commission for Employment and Skills 2010
• 66% of employers report difficulties recruiting STEM
skilled staff, with particular concern at graduate and
post graduate level.
CBI Education and Skills survey 2009, 350 employers
CBI Education and Skills Survey 2010, 694 employers
Employers’ preference for degrees
No specific preference
Science, technology, engineering, maths
Business
Social sciences
Humanities
CBI Education and Skills Survey 2009
42%
40%
13%
3%
1%
Supply and demand in the process
industries by 2022
Employee group
Higher level
workers
(Manager and
professionals)
Core workers
(Technicians and
operators)
Cogent 2008
Forecast demand
Forecast supply
Balance
55,000
68,000
Over supply
+13,000
72,000
31,600
Short fall
-40,400
Skills requirements
• Skill shortages are not generic – UKCES identifies
shortages in STEM-related areas & geographic
variation.
• The UK workforce is as a whole over-qualified for
current occupations.
• Ensuring that:
– young people are making informed decisions about their
14-19 education and training;
– courses of study have real and clear progression routes.
FE STEM data project
FE STEM data project
• 2008-09: 3.2 million enrolments on STEM qualifications in the
FE and Skills sector in England
• 76% of these were at or below Level 2
Broader than qualifications
Broader than qualifications
• Work experience is highly valued – but very
difficult to source in STEM fields – ‘Advanced
Apprenticeships’ are well over-subscribed
CBI description of Employability Skills
Self-management – readiness to accept responsibility, flexibility, resilience, self-starting,
appropriate assertiveness, time management, readiness to improve own performance
based on feedback/reflective learning.
Teamworking – respecting others, co-operating, negotiating/persuading, contributing
to discussions, and awareness of interdependence with others.
Business and customer awareness – basic understanding of the key drivers for business
success – including the importance of innovation and taking calculated risks – and the
need to provide customer satisfaction and build customer loyalty
Problem solving – analysing facts and situations and applying creative thinking to
develop appropriate solutions
Communication and literacy – application of literacy, ability to produce clear, structured
written work and oral literacy - including listening and questioning.
Application of numeracy – manipulation of numbers, general mathematical awareness
and its application in practical contexts.
Application of information technology – basic IT skills, including familiarity with word
processing, spreadsheets, file management and use of internet search engines.
“Apprenticeships at heart of the system”
“Apprenticeships at heart of system”
“ We will reshape Apprenticeships so that technician Level 3 becomes the
level to which learners and employers aspire. There will be clear
progression routes from Level 3 Apprenticeships to higher level skills,
including Level 4 Apprenticeships or higher education.” (BIS, 2010)
Forecast numbers for young people’s apprenticeships: 191,000 (09/10),
218,000 (10/11), 230,000 (11/12)*
*Young People’s Learning Agency Funding Settlement 2010
Companies supporting apprentices include -
Broader than qualifications
Atkins plc, Atlas Computer Systems, BAE Systems plc, BBC,
Babcock International Group plc, Barratt Developments plc,
British Gas, BP, BT, CMC Ltd, Compass Group, HomeServe plc,
IBM, Kesslers International Ltd, Microsoft, Mimosa
Healthcare Ltd, MITIE Group , MOD, Royal Dutch Shell plc,
Tesco UK Operations, Bentley Motors Ltd , Nissan Motor
Manufacturing UK Ltd, Unilever, Rolls-Royce,
……. to name just a few!
Strategic embedding of STEM
1 Through the curriculum
2 Through CPD for teachers and lecturers
3 Through enhancement and enrichment
opportunities
4 Through access to well-informed careers
information, advice, and guidance