The IET’s new 'Engineering Kids’ Futures' (EKF) report leads with a series of recommendations to the UK government to embed engineering and technology within primary and secondary learning. The report also carries signatories from the likes of Major Tim Peake, Carol Vorderman MBE, will.i.am, and representatives from Rolls Royce, Vodafone and the MOD.
It is estimated there is a shortfall of over 173,000 workers in the STEM sector: an average of 10 unfilled roles per business in the UK, which is costing the economy a shocking £1.5bn per annum, according to STEM Learning data. Furthermore, 49 per cent of engineering businesses are experiencing difficulties in the skills available to them when trying to recruit, as revealed by the IET Skills Survey in 2021.
Report recommendations include:
- The National Curriculum – the English schools National Curriculum should be reviewed to embed the teaching of engineering, at both primary and secondary levels...