Conclusions and recommendations
The engineering skills gap
1. Despite
the Government's recognition of the importance of engineering
skills, particularly to the growth agenda, there is a persistent
gap in the numbers of engineers required to achieve economic growth,
which is likely to worsen unless radical action is taken. (Paragraph
15)
Engineering education
2. As
good engineers need theoretical knowledge and practical skills
to enter the profession at any level, engineering education and
training must provide both. (Paragraph 24)
GCSEs and the English Baccalaureate
3. We
welcome the EBac's focus on attainment of maths and science GCSEs,
which are important precursors for further study and careers leading
to engineering. However, we are concerned that important subjects
such as Design and Technology (D&T) are being adversely affected
as schools focus on the EBac. Although the EBac leaves curriculum
time to study other subjects, schools are very likely to focus
on the subjects by which their performance is measured and less
on non-EBac subjects. (Paragraph 33)
4. We recommend
that Design and Technology should remain in the National Curriculum
at Key Stage 4. (Paragraph 34)
5. The consultation
on Reforming Key Stage 4 Qualifications closed before this Report
was published but we expect the Government to take into account
our views when deciding the future of Key Stage 4 Qualifications.
In addition, the Government must consider how to reward schools
and recognise performance in non-EBac subjects when it reviews
on the school accountability system. (Paragraph
35)
Vocational education
6. The
change in GCSE equivalence of the Engineering Diploma following
vocational education reforms potentially sends a poor message
from Government about the value of engineering education, which
is at odds with the Government's frequently stated emphasis on
the importance of engineering to the UK, and may lead to the Diploma
being a less attractive qualification to schools. The change was,
in our view, made in haste and we feel the Government should have
fully developed its plans for a redesigned set of engineering
qualifications before announcing what was perceived as a downgrading
of the Engineering Diploma. We are pleased the Government is now
engaging with the engineering community to address this. (Paragraph
43)
7. We recommend
that where the Engineering Diploma or its successor is taught,
it should be included in performance measures for schools alongside
the EBac. (Paragraph 44)
8. We look forward
to the Government's proposals for a Technical Baccalaureate with
interest. If the TechBac is to be a success, we consider that
the following conditions must be met: (i) its structure should
reflect our observations in paragraph 24 of this Report; (ii)
while offering a more creative and technical curriculum, the TechBac
should offer a broad base of education to facilitate a wide range
of further study and career options; (iii) the Government must
endeavour to ensure that the TechBac does not suffer from the
cultural misperception that plagues vocational education, namely
that it is for less bright students; and (iv) schools must be
incentivised to focus on the TechBac. To achieve this, the TechBac
should be equivalent to the EBac in all respects. (Paragraph
47)
Work experience
9. Good
work experience is an important part of engineering education.
It puts classroom learning into context, provides inspiration
and is a source of career information. In addition, work experience
can provide students with valuable practical skills. (Paragraph
55)
10. Recognising the
challenge of providing quality work experience at Key Stage 4,
the Government decided to remove the statutory duty on schools
to provide work experience altogether and place greater emphasis
on work experience in post-16 study. However with regard to engineering
we recommend: (i) STEM work experience should take place before
16 years, before students make choices about study or work post-16;
and (ii) that despite the curriculum and league table pressures
a degree of compulsion should exist. There are already anecdotes
suggesting that many schools are cutting back on provision of
work experience and we are concerned about the impact of this
on the provision of future engineers. (Paragraph 56)
11. The evidence
we have received suggests that work experience is important for
engineering education. We endorse the recommendation of the Education
Committee that the Government's statutory guidance to schools
should require them to provide work-related learning.
(Paragraph 57)
12. We are concerned
that the DfE has accepted the Wolf review's recommendation without
appearing to attempt any assessment of its own on the impact of
removing compulsory work experience at Key Stage 4. (Paragraph
58)
University Technical Colleges
13. University
Technical Colleges (UTCs) are a welcome development and the limited
evidence that is available suggests that they are effective providers
of engineering education. However, the network of UTCs will
not provide nationwide coverage and the Government must also focus
on good engineering education in schools and colleges. (Paragraph
63)
14. The Government
and all partners involved in the establishment and operation of
UTCs should focus on quality not quantity. This includes being
flexible if a new UTC needs more time or resource to establish
itself, for example. The quality of education offered must not
be sacrificed for the sake of political deadlines.
(Paragraph 64)
15. The Government
must clarify its UTC targets and how it will measure success.
First, it must clarify the rationale behind the target number.
Second, it should be clear about what it expects UTCs to achieve
and how performance will be monitored. Third, the lessons learned
from opening the first five UTCs must be shared with those involved
in establishing new UTCs, including engineering employers.
(Paragraph 65)
Careers advice
16. 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. (Paragraph 77)
17. 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.
(Paragraph 78)
18. 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. (Paragraph 85)
19. 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). (Paragraph 86)
20. 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.
(Paragraph 87)
Research and evidence in DfE
21. We
are concerned that the Department for Education; (i) does not
have a clear definition of what constitutes research spend; (ii)
has not planned its research spend sufficiently in advance; (iii)
has no established budget for evaluation of policies; and (iv)
does not protect or ring-fence its research budget from "other
priorities". The desire to remain flexible and "demand-driven"
is not at odds with strategic, long-term thinking about research
and evaluation. (Paragraph 91)
22. The DfE's Chief
Scientific Adviser (CSA), who also holds the post of Director
of Research and Analysis, gave oral evidence on 21 November 2012
and told us she had "not done the work yet" on future
research spending, yet written evidence from the DfE following
the evidence session stated that business planning would conclude
in the New Year. This suggests to us either that strategic planning
of research spending in the DfE is given very little time or that
the CSA has limited involvement. We would be interested in
an explanation from Government on this matter. (Paragraph 92)
23. Our recommendation
to the Department for Education (DfE), based on our experience
during this inquiry, is that greater focus needs to be placed
on evidence before future changes are made, and needs to leave
sufficient time for evidence to be gathered on the effectiveness
of its proposed changes before introducing further change. We
recommend that the DfE conducts a re-evaluation of its attitude
towards the role of evidence in policy and decision-making.
(Paragraph 95)
24. We are pleased
that the DfE has warmed to the concept of using Randomised Controlled
Trials (RCTs) in education policy and that the Department is challenging
itself on the use of RCTs. Policy should be backed up by evidence
and although evidence can come from many sources, RCTs are particularly
useful in social policy. The possibility of gathering evidence
from RCTs should be seriously considered every time the DfE considers
an education policy change. (Paragraph 98)
Conclusions
25. At
first glance, recent educational reforms have the appearance of
supporting engineering education, for example the rationalisation
of vocational qualifications following the Wolf Review was generally
welcomed, the EBac includes a focus on science and maths education
and UTCs have met with approval from the engineering community.
However, the devil is in the detail and some of the individual
effects of such changes could be detrimental to engineering education,
for example the recent changes to the Engineering Diploma following
the Wolf Review. We consider that the Government's approach towards
engineering education in some aspects has not been effective.
(Paragraph 99)
26. The Government's
stated views on the importance of engineering and manufacturing
to the UK are inconsistent with its actions in education policy.
The Government has a powerful influence on schools, students and
parents through performance and accountability measures and has
direct responsibility for ensuring good education for the UK's
future engineers. It must use its actions, in the form of policy
and incentives, more effectively to promote technical and engineering
education. (Paragraph 100)
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