UK STEM skills pipeline
Science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) are important for the UK’s economic future. How can the routes through education and into STEM be improved?
Further educationHigher educationInformation technologyResearch and innovationSchoolsScienceStudentsTeachersTraining
Briefing
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN746
- As of 2023, approximately 9.4 million people were employed in jobs related to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in the UK. The UK STEM sector is considered important by many for future economic growth.
- There are concerns around the availability of STEM skills in the UK workforce. 49% of engineering and technology businesses report difficulties with recruitment because of skills shortages.
- Skills shortages across different sub-sectors of STEM and at various levels of education are estimated to cost the UK economy £1.5 billion a year.
- Stakeholders identify systemic barriers and social inequalities as potential causes of underrepresentation in STEM.
- Some stakeholders argue that more people need to study STEM subjects to fill graduate-level skills gaps. Others dispute the size and causes of these gaps.
- Many stakeholders recommend increased participation in vocational routes to improve the availability of technical, occupation-specific STEM skills.
- The government has introduced several activities that may improve the STEM skills pipeline, such as the Curriculum and Assessment Review, and the Modern Industrial Strategy.
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