A recent study by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills has found that almost half (43%) of STEM vacancies are “hard to fill”.
This means that, as a pre-emptive strategy for ensuring young people are positively influenced by STEM subjects at a young age, employer engagement is vital. Connecting students with employers from STEM-related industries has been proven to enhance understanding, heighten performance and promote aspiration.
Employer engagement can be utilised directly to fill the STEM careers gap. By making it as regular and student-specific as possible, STEM subjects can benefit from the same sort of student engagement as more traditional careers like law and business. The earlier that students are exposed to STEM, the more likely it is that they will follow their interest through education and employment.
At a time when the UK is hoping to invest over £40 billion in its space industry over the next 15 years, plugging the STEM shortage is more vital than ever. Indeed, if the UK wants to compete with the likes of the European Space Agency and NASA following the conclusion of Brexit, then overcoming the STEM skills shortage needs to be a priority for legislators as well as educators.
Raising aspirations and enhancing employability
Employer engagement has been proven to enhance student employability and, when taken seriously, students are five times less likely to become Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).
Recent research points to employer-led curriculum learning as one example of delivering an effective method of education to students hoping to learn about the realities of working life. In terms of getting students interested in STEM careers, for example, a curriculum more heavily weighted towards practical application in the workplace could remove the stigma attached to traditionally “difficult” careers like engineering, physics, biomedical research and medicine.
Technology is also an area in which students are underperforming, and by using apps, management systems and information resources to connect educators with employers, we have an opportunity to get students excited about technology from a young age. Systems like these keep students interested in subjects like computing, whilst subtly developing much-sought-after IT skills, and emphasising the very real benefits of employer networking.
"Employer engagement has been proven to enhance student employability and, when taken seriously, students are five times less likely to become Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)."
The other good news is that there are several STEM-related education bodies out there dedicated to improving the perception of STEM careers and actively engaging with schools and colleges in outreach programs. Employer engagement is absolutely vital – the realities of working life can be emphasised, alongside the theory taught in classrooms, to build a more comprehensive picture of what an education can be made to do in the big wide world.
This is particularly helpful when it comes to combating stereotypes based on STEM careers, opening up STEM as the inclusive, forward-thinking and innovative area we all know it to be.
About the author
Oliver Fisher is the Cofounder and Commercial Director of Springpod. Springpod is a careers education technology that connects students with STEM employers for career exploration, industry interaction, work experience and apprenticeships.
You may also be interested in…
Recent research from STEM Learning shows the STEM skills shortage is costing businesses £1.5 billion a year in recruitment, temporary staffing, inflated salaries and additional training costs.