Engineering our future: stepping up the urgency on STEM

This report argues that a highly skilled science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) workforce will be required to underpin the UK’s ability to build an innovative, knowledge-intensive economy. The report, taking the perspective of the business sector, examines three aspects of this issue: (1) the importance of STEM skills for economic growth and higher living standards; (2) improving rates of progress on building STEM skills; and (3) creating the ‘pipeline’ for improving the STEM skills supply. The key recommendations are: expanding STEM education to include vocational pathways, particularly apprenticeships, but also retraining of the existing workforce; widening the pipeline of young people making it to skilled STEM work, especially women; developing joint solutions across and between businesses for ongoing training; and aligning higher education funding with the STEM strategy.

The report argues that a long-term strategic government commitment to improving the STEM skill supply will provide the environment for businesses, universities and the education and training system to partner in investing in skills.

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