News
In response to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, Peter Finegold, Head of Education at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said:
“We welcome today’s news that Government is to provide extra funding for STEM students of £50 million per academic year from 2015-16, and 20,000 higher apprenticeships over the next two years.
“By 2020, the UK needs to be producing double the number of engineers than it currently does – 127,000 every year - just to stand still. So far, we’re nowhere close to meeting this demand, and we don’t yet know how many of these new higher apprenticeships will focus on STEM professions.
“However, while extra cash for STEM students and more higher apprenticeships are a positive step forward, they alone will not address the startling skills gap the UK is currently facing.
“A key problem is that many young prospective engineers are poorly informed by schools and colleges about potential careers in engineering, and it is imperative that Government works to make it more attractive for industry, especially smaller companies, to develop meaningful relationships with schools and colleges
“High quality face-to-face careers guidance would encourage more young women to continue study of STEM subjects, which would go some way to addressing the current gender imbalance - UK has fewer female engineers than any other European country. Currently women account for only 12% of STEM employees, less than 7% of engineering professionals and only 1% of skilled tradespeople.
“The engineering profession in the UK employs 2.3 million people and is vital to the UK’s continued economic growth. Government must continue to invest in the future if the UK is to maintain its long-standing reputation as a world-leader in engineering.”