House of Commons - Educating tomorrow's engineers: the impact of Government reforms on 14-19 education

Educating tomorrow's engineers: the impact of Government reforms on 14-19 education - Science and Technology Committee Contents

4 Inspiring the next generation

66. Improvements to the education system can help to plug the engineering skills gap, but young people must be inspired to study science and engineering in the first place. Bentley Motors stated that "the subjects taught at secondary schools within the curriculum do not necessarily inspire children to careers in engineering" and that "it is school children—from primary school onwards that must be attracted into this career from an early age".[175] The Baker Dearing Educational Trust also considered that "more needs to be done to introduce children to technical and engineering occupations from primary school upwards".[176] Matthew Harrison, Director of Education, Royal Academy of Engineering summarised the importance of early engagement, stating "the message is really clear: if you are a young person, get engaged with STEM and be successful with STEM, because the chances of re-engagement as an adult are so much lower".[177]

67. Inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers is a worthy but well-worn theme and we do not intend to repeat the general issues around STEM in-depth. We did, however, find during this inquiry that engineering suffers from specific problems and we have focused on these.

Perceptions of engineering

68. Various stereotypes of engineering prevailed amongst young people. National Grid stated that young people struggle to visualise themselves as engineers, either because they "have no idea what being an engineer involves or, worse, they have an impression that it is a menial job, typically for men in overalls".[178] The Baker Dearing Educational Trust stated "we have not shaken off the outdated image of engineering as a male occupation involving dirty, noisy working conditions and a lot of heavy manual labour".[179] Bentley Motors stated that "many young people still think an 'Engineer' is the technician who comes to fix their washing machine, and the rich heritage in the field in the UK is occasionally celebrated, but in truth largely forgotten".[180] A 2007 study by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Engineering and Technology Board on Public attitudes to and perceptions of engineering and engineers 2007 found that younger people knew least about engineering and what engineers did.[181] Engineering also tended to be seen as a male-dominated profession.[182] An apprentice at National Grid stated "none of my friends know what I do" and "they associate it with construction; they assume I am on a building site [...] they assume engineering is dirty work".[183] National Grid highlighted that "a particularly worrying finding was that too often teachers are no better informed, and may even reinforce negative stereotypes".[184]

69. Such perceptions are often far from reality. The Baker Dearing Educational Trust stated "the reality is that growing numbers of women are engineers; that a lot of engineering requires clinically-clean conditions; and that many engineering operations are controlled using computers, not by wielding spanners".[185] The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) stated that "statistics show people earn some of the best salaries in engineering and manufacturing compared to many other degree study areas [...] The problem is how many GCSE and A level students know that and more importantly the staff giving them independent careers advice and guidance?"[186] Misperceptions of engineering influence young peoples' study and career choices. Cogent, a sector skills council, highlighted recent surveys of young people that "showed students had low awareness of and interest in technical career opportunities".[187]

Careers advice

70. A poor understanding of engineering careers can often be rectified by good careers advice; for example, a student at Newstead Wood School, explained how careers advice had affected her choices:

We had a careers adviser at school. [...] they get you an organised two-week work experience placement in year 10 on something you think you might be interested in [...] Mine was an engineering placement because I told them that I liked maths and physics, so they pushed me towards that. [...] They went through university degrees and all the routes into engineering you could do. [...]

Most of the time [careers advisers] said that, if you took an engineering degree, basically it would take you anywhere. I could go and work in the City; I could work in an engineering firm; I could work abroad; I could be a designer [...] the fact they told me that engineering was something that could take me anywhere was what pushed me to taking that.[188]

71. Ms Galliers explained that schools were faced with "perverse incentives in the system to advise young people that to stay on in my school sixth form is the right answer".[189] Jim Wade, Principal of the JCB Academy, added:

a really good example of that are league tables. We are now measured on our destinations. If you take my school, last year, of the year 13 students, 50% chose to go into higher apprenticeships. Most of those students had offers at universities, and a significant number had offers at Russell Group universities but have chosen instead higher apprenticeships with organisations like Rolls-Royce, Bentley or JCB itself. In the league tables we will now get a low score of the percentage of students going to university because they won't count. [...] potentially there is a perverse incentive for me to sit down with those students and say, "Oh no, you don't want to do a higher apprenticeship; actually you want to be doing that," because that would look better for us.[190]

72. The Education Act 2011 placed schools under a duty to secure access to independent and impartial careers guidance for their pupils from September 2012 (independent is defined as external to the school).[191] According to the DfE:

Once the duty on schools has been commenced, there will be no expectation that local authorities will provide a universal careers service. The statutory responsibility under section 68 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 requiring local authorities to encourage, enable and assist the participation of young people in education or training, remains unchanged.[192]

No specific budget has been allocated for the provision of these services and there is no legal requirement for careers guidance to be provided by a professional careers adviser.[193] Maggie Galliers, President of the Association of Colleges (AoC) stated "a duty has been placed on schools now to offer independent advice and guidance, but few schools have the resources to do all that that job requires".[194]

73. Regardless of the new duty, school staff are likely to remain an important source of careers advice for students. Careers advisers and teachers may be separate roles with schools, as highlighted by Ms Allen, who stated that "it is just impossible to be both a teacher and a careers guide".[195] The Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) expressed concern about "the lack of direction as to how schools will offer guidance and the lack of any requirement to engage with business" and has recommended that STEM careers advice could be improved by "making it part of CPD [Continuing Professional Development] for science teachers".[196]

74. The witnesses representing education providers were additionally concerned about the cost implications of the new duty on schools to secure careers advice. Liz Allen, Head of Newstead Wood School, stated:

At a time at which careers advice and guidance is being delegated to schools, our funding is being cut by 1.5%, or 3% in the sixth form. [...] having to trim about £60,000 a year from the school budget, at the same time as having to create discrete careers advice and guidance in the school, is a tricky one to manage.[197]

Mr Wade pondered the question of how to ensure careers advice was impartial and stated:

I said jokingly to our careers adviser that I thought she was a bit too successful last year because she got nearly a third of our 16-year-olds on apprenticeship programmes so they didn't come into the sixth form. That is the type of tension that exists probably within any school environment. I don't necessarily disagree with delegating that responsibility to schools, but there is a real tension in trying to make that independent advice and guidance to make sure youngsters go the right way.[198]

75. The Cogent Sector Skills Council stated "we often hear that what is lacking is a coherent, UK wide careers information and education system".[199] A National Careers Service was launched in 2012.[200] It provides "information, advice and guidance" to help people "make decisions on learning, training and work opportunities" and "offers confidential and impartial advice, supported by qualified careers advisers".[201] Education for Engineering (E4E) stated "we will watch with interest the development of the National Careers Service".[202] However, the National Careers Service "will not provide face-to face guidance for those under 19" who would only be offered online and telephone services.[203] In January 2013, the Education Committee's Report on Careers guidance for young people: The impact of the new duty on schools set out in detail the importance of face-to-face careers advice for young people.[204] It also recommended:

that the Department for Education introduces into the statutory guidance a requirement for schools to publish an annual careers plan, to include information on the support and resources available to its pupils in planning their career development. Schools should be required to review the plan systematically on an annual basis, taking into account the views of students, parents, employers and other learning providers.[205]

76. We discussed careers guidance with Matthew Hancock MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills, who explained that the "centralised duty" was new and needed to be implemented properly.[206]

77. The new duty on schools to provide access to independent and impartial advice is laudable and in principle we would support greater autonomy for schools to provide careers advice. However the duty poses problems in practice. First, there are resource implications for schools that have been given more responsibility, but no additional budget, to secure careers guidance. Second, there is little guidance on the quality of careers guidance that should be available to students. The Government must monitor the impact of the new statutory duty and if, by September 2013, there is evidence that the duty is having a detrimental effect on schools or students, the duty should be reviewed or additional support provided to schools.

78. Informed face-to-face careers advice is essential for informing career choices and every young person should have the opportunity to access it. The Government should set out how it plans to ensure that all students have the opportunity to access face-to-face careers advice, with the National Careers Service as one possible resource.

EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT

79. As well as formal careers advice, students also gain valuable career knowledge from work experience and engagement with potential future employers, as highlighted in the previous chapter. Employer engagement includes day-to-day interaction and involvement in school curricula (as with UTCs, for example), provision of work experience opportunities and promotional campaigns aimed at young people and parents. Employer engagement with schools was seen as crucial to inspiring young people and enabling a better understanding of what engineering careers can offer. Employers placed a particular responsibility to facilitate this engagement on themselves rather than schools. National Grid considered that "employers have a duty to help schools explain engineering and to show students the positive opportunities that a technical education can open up for them".[207] Andrew Churchill, Managing Director of JJ Churchill Ltd, stated:

We know that the schools find it hard to understand our sector. I believe it is unreasonable to expect teachers to have a great in-depth experience and knowledge of the manufacturing sector. [...] the only group that can do that is the employers. That is our bit of the bargain.[208]

80. Nigel Fine, Chief Executive, Institute of Engineering and Technology, explained that the engineering profession had a number of programmes to inspire people:

For example, the Big Bang Fair [...] is organised by the whole profession. It includes industry as well, with Government support. It ensures that young people, and their parents and teachers, who are big influences on young people deciding on their careers, can have a great experience, and come along and understand what it is that engineers and engineering are all about.

Statistics show that when young people have been through those programmes [...] there is an increasing awareness, and a positive awareness, of the value of the engineering profession and a career in engineering. We run another programme called Tomorrow's Engineers. Again, the engineering profession is coming together with industry in an outreach programme around the country, putting on a series of events that bring engineering into the lives of young people, to explain the variety of engineering activities that there are and the diversity of opportunities.[209]

81. The Government's See Inside Manufacturing initiative was praised by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) for being "effective in raising awareness of engineering and manufacturing careers".[210] The initiative was jointly introduced with the Automotive Council and "saw manufacturers across the UK opening their factory doors to students and careers advisors to showcase the variety of careers available in the UK automotive sector".[211] According to the SMMT:

Feedback from the initiative showed positive outcomes, with 95% of those surveyed stating that their knowledge about the careers and opportunities available in the automotive sector improved through attending the event, 82% stating that their perception of the career opportunities within the automotive industry has become more positive, and 82% of those surveyed stating that they are more likely to advise their students/contacts to consider a career in the automotive sector.[212]

The scheme was also welcomed by the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) who considered that "such campaigns and initiatives give engineering a much needed promotional boost. We hope to see a firm commitment from the Government to continue these projects and increase awareness of their work".[213] However, school participation is crucial to success, as Lyn Tomkins, UK Operations Director, SEMTA, noted with reference to the See Inside Manufacturing initiative:

A lot of employers went to a lot of trouble to open their doors and invite the schools in, but at the first attempt a lot of schools just didn't bother to show up on the day. [...] None the less, the employers tried again [later in the year], and it was really well received. [...] if a school can just think, "We won't bother taking students to a leading factory that is opening its doors", then it is a great disappointment, especially if it is on their doorstep.[214]

82. On a more ongoing basis, the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) recommended that science and maths teachers should develop links with local industry "to make mainstream curriculum more relevant to manufacturing and engineering" and that "businesses need to be encouraged to offer 'open days' or job shadowing for teachers and careers advice professionals to improve knowledge and understanding of the skills needs and the career prospects".[215] EADS UK stated that "companies should be incentivised to take a greater part in working with schools" and that it did not consider that the Government "offer[ed] support or incentives to large employers to be actively involved in promoting STEM projects and believe[d] the Government do not have an awareness of the lengths employers are going to support STEM subjects".[216]

ROLES OF SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS

83. Teachers, parents and peer groups are commonly cited as leading influences on young peoples' career choices. We were interested in the role of teachers in providing career guidance. Engineering UK stated:

Three fifths of the general public view a career in engineering as desirable, seeing it as being a 'good profession/career', 'challenging' and 'well paid'. However, amazingly, our research shows that 21% of STEM teachers say that a career in engineering is undesirable for their students. This is especially worrying when nine out of ten STEM teachers see providing careers information, advice and guidance as being part of their role, and 8 out of 10 answer the pupils' questions based on their own knowledge and experience.[217]

Similarly, the JCB Academy considered that "advice for those wishing to follow technical careers is often limited and ill informed due to the background of those providing the advice".[218] Nigel Fine, IET, described "our woeful inability to give career advice to young people" by explaining that:

Career advice is not good in this country. Parents are not giving good advice. One in three parents do not know about engineering or engineering careers. Teachers are supposed to have a bit more insight, but one in five teachers in the STEM area may advise against engineering because they do not understand engineering or what it does.[219]

84. Engineering UK called for STEM teachers to have "the right careers information to ensure that students are being shown the potential of a career" in engineering and suggested "extend[ing] engineering work experience opportunities to teachers so that they see modern engineering for themselves".[220] The Baker Dearing Educational Trust suggested that "teacher training programmes (including continuous professional development programmes) should help teachers deliver effective hands-on learning to all age groups".[221] Steve Radley, EEF, acknowledged that "a lot of responsibilities are put on teachers" but suggested that "part of the teachers' CPD should involve spending at least a few days in industry".[222] He considered that it would allow them to "reinforce the messages that employers are looking to get across" and "bring things to life and make them a lot more exciting and relevant to young people".[223] We considered teacher skills and training in our 2011 Report on Practical experiments in school science lessons and science field trips, and recommended that "the Government needs to provide strong encouragement to schools in facilitating science teachers to maintain and develop the knowledge and practical science skills necessary to provide students with a high quality science education".[224]

85. We were pleased that employers placed a strong emphasis on the role of industry in engaging young people. Campaigns such as the "Big Bang Fair" and "See Inside Manufacturing" can be effective at promoting engineering careers, and should be encouraged and supported by Government. However, the success of such initiatives depends on the willingness of parents, schools and teachers to promote them to young people. In addition, such initiatives are naturally resource-intensive and run infrequently, so everyday engagement at school-level remains important.

86. We support the principle of engaging school teachers with the engineering industry on an ongoing basis, including spending time in industry. Government must ensure that schools have sufficient resources to ensure Continuing Professional Development is a norm not a luxury. Employers also have a key role in providing careers advice to students. Engagement with local engineering industry should be particularly encouraged amongst teachers of STEM subjects. We recognise that teachers already face many conflicting pressures. Therefore we recommend that engagement with industry be a core requirement of teachers' Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

87. We recommend that learned societies, professional engineering institutions and trade bodies put an obligation on their members to systematically engage in promoting engineering and technology as a career through a structured programme of educational engagement.

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181 "Public Attitudes to and Perceptions of Engineering and Engineers 2007", The Royal Academy of Engineering, www.raeng.org.uk, 2007 Back

182 "Public Attitudes to and Perceptions of Engineering and Engineers 2007", The Royal Academy of Engineering, www.raeng.org.uk, 2007, page 18 Back

183 Qq 60-61 Back

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