Transcript Why STEM? - Employability Link

Why?
Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics
Imagine our world……..
….without aeronautical engineers
Imagine our world……..
….without civil engineers
Imagine our world……..
….without electronic engineers
Imagine our world……..
….without software engineers
Warning Over Skills Gap
“The downward trend in the number of students
that are taking up STEM disciplines is very
worrying as a skills shortage makes it harder
to attract new investments here”
Martin Murphy, MD, Hewlett Packard
Belfast Telegraph 03/11/08
Programme for Government


Primary focus on growing the economy
80% of foreign direct investment in NI in 2008 in:
•
•
•
•

ICT
Business and Financial Services
Pharmaceutical Industries
Aerospace Sectors
To compete in a global market need to enhance
uptake of STEM subjects in schools
• Ensure our people have the right skills to deliver economic
prosperity now and in the future and increase skills and career
choices in STEM subjects (PSA 2:Skills for prosperity)
PSA 2: SKILLS FOR PROSPERITY
Targets:
1.
2.
Increase by 5% the numbers studying STEM
subjects in Post 16 cohort by 2011
Increase by 25% the numbers of students,
especially those from disadvantaged
communities, at graduate and postgraduate
level studying STEM subjects by 2015.
Urban Myth or Personal Experience?
STEM Career Perceptions
Students’ Views
Limit
my
career
choices
…too
difficult
…not
interestin
g or
enjoyable
PSA 2: SKILLS FOR PROSPERITY
Actions:

Take steps to increase uptake of STEM
subjects
•

Highlight STEM Career Opportunities and Pathways
Increase links with local industry to promote
STEM
•
•
Ensure learning & teaching is planned and delivered in a
relevant and enjoyable way
Linking subject content and skills to real life
(Key Element: Employability)
I want to be a……..
Career Options
Today’s students & parents are unaware of the
range of STEM related career opportunities
Suresh Chawla, Theatre Technician
Suresh uses science and
maths …
… laws of physics, to work
out how to move heavy
props
… knowledge of materials’
properties, to deduce what to
make the set from
Suresh works and communicates with people, such as:
lighting engineers, sound engineers, set designers and set
builders
Need for ‘Imagineers’
Keeping Options Open
STEM Subjects:
 widen options rather than narrow them:
• Demand for STEM skilled individuals expected to
grow dramatically in the future
• Open up career opportunities in other occupational
sectors
• Develop employability skills (TS & PC and CCS)

often lead to higher paid jobs
• PricewaterhouseCoopers research 2005

often lead to opportunities to work abroad
• solving environmental issues
• software engineering
CEIAG STEM

Up skill CEIAG/STEM Teachers
 Provide up-to-date Labour Market Information in
regard to STEM related sectors
 Highlight range of possible STEM related career
pathways

95 STEM teachers participating in ‘Teacher
into Industry Programme’
 18 from BELB schools
 Focus on Key Element of Employability/work
related learning
% Increase in Demand for STEM
Graduates in UK by 2017….
Technology
Physical & Environmental
Science
Maths & Computing
Engineering
Biological Sciences
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Warwick Institute for Employment Research
So what about
Northern Ireland?
Forecasting Future Skill Needs in NI
April 2009
% of Graduates Required by 2020
Skill requirement 2008-2020
Implications for Young People

Less new jobs per annum
 1996 – 2008
 2008 – 2020

13,000 per annum
5000 per annum
Increasing demand for STEM subjects
 Growing sectors of the economy will require a growing
number of STEM graduates and skilled labour

Need to ensure young people:
 are aware of full range of potential job opportunities
 plan relevant and appropriate career pathways
• leading to sector specific qualifications
• enabling them to progress as far as possible on NQF
Top 40 NI Companies

Which of the top 40 NI companies have
 predominantly STEM related career opportunities?
 some STEM related career opportunities?
• What might they be?

What are the top 10 companies? (No of jobs)
 Place in a pyramid 10
 How many are STEM companies?
“Engineers, Technologists and Scientists at all
levels are increasingly vital to our long term
economy. There are excellent opportunities for the
UK to excel in high-value goods and services but
we must ensure we have enough skilled graduates
to make this happen; not to mention the thousands
upon thousands of technicians required to support
these higher level positions”
Paul Jackson, Chief Executive, ETB
STEM Jobs

Examine last week’s job advertisements in
the local press
 What STEM jobs are being advertised?
• Do your students know these jobs exist and what each
involves?
 What level of qualifications are required for these
jobs?
Key Element
Employability
Employability –
Everyone’s Responsibility
The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower young people to achieve their potential
and to make informed and responsible decisions throughout their lives.
Curriculum Aim
Curriculum Objectives
To develop the young person as an
individual
To develop the young person as a
contributor to society
To develop the young person as a
contributor to the economy &
environment
FOR
Learning for Life
and Work
Personal
Development
Home Economics
Local & Global
Citizenship
Education for
Employability
THROUGH
Key
Elements
personal understanding
mutual understanding
personal health
moral character
spiritual awareness
citizenship
cultural understanding
media awareness
ethical awareness
employability
economic awareness
education for sustainable
development
ACROSS
Areas of
Learning
The Arts
English &
Irish
Environment
& Society
Mathematics
financial
capability
Modern
Languages
Physical
Education
Science &
Technolog
y
Religious
Education
Young people should have
opportunities to:
Investigate how the skills
developed through
Technology and Design will
be useful to a wide range of
careers, for example, jobs
involving designing,
manufacturing and production
in a wide range of contexts
including communications,
construction, engineering,
landscape design, product
design, fashion, lifestyle goods,
media etc.
Investigate jobs/companies
locally, in which Technology
and Design skills are used.
(Key Element: Employability)
Which Sources?
Planning CPD

How can we up skill staff to ensure they give
up-to-date advice in terms of:
 subject specific careers
 career pathways
• relevant Post 16/Post 18 courses
 Labour Market Information