What is STEM?

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

STEM subjects are integral to the UK’s success: the UK is the world’s sixth largest manufacturer, engineering turnover is around £800 billion per year, and whilst the UK makes up only 1% of the world’s population, we produce 10% of the world’s top scientific research. Despite this, it is remarkable to note that even though STEM graduates have the potential to earn amongst the highest salaries of all new recruits, employers are finding it difficult to recruit STEM skilled staff . And alongside our need for a skilled STEM workforce, it is crucial that all young people, regardless of their future career pathway, have the STEM knowledge and skills they need to be an informed citizen in an increasingly scientific and technological society.

Government has long identified STEM education as a major priority at both school and HE level. Within schools and colleges STEM subjects are usually taught individually, providing young people with the depth of specialist teaching. Education for a strong STEM economy is built on strong subject teaching. However the view of STEM that young people experience outside of school is far more complex – with technology and engineering at the fore, drawing on a broad science base and mathematical expertise. One challenge for STEM teaching is to help young people recognise how the science, design & technology, and mathematics that they study at school can lead to rich and varied career pathways. This complexity is a challenge – but also offers an enormous opportunity for STEM teachers to engage young people with these strategically important subjects.

By reaching outside their own classroom, teachers and lecturers collaborate across subjects, enhance and enrich the school curriculum, make links with the world of work, and use varied contexts to help young people relate school science and mathematics with their real-world experience of STEM.

This in no way undermines the fundamental fascination that young people have with major scientific explanations, or the excitement that results from grasping the power of a mathematical model. But for some students the route to this satisfaction will start from an experience of STEM in the wider world, and thinking of STEM in school as a group of inter-related subjects helps to open up those doors. Effective and inspiring teachers, sufficiently supported, are vital to raising students’ enjoyment of, enthusiasm for, and achievement in STEM subjects.

STEM teaching workforce

Getting the right people to be teachers and lecturers

In 2007 the McKinsey report, How the world's best-performing school systems come out on top, compared successful education systems from across the world to identify the factors most likely to provide the best education. Not surprisingly the Report's key finding was that:
'Above all, the top performing systems demonstrate that quality of an education system depends ultimately on the quality of its teachers.'

The number and quality of teachers and lecturers recruited to train to teach STEM subjects plays a significant role in the success of students. As learners progress they require specialist knowledge to challenge them.

The Training and Development Agency is the body responsible for the training and development of the school workforce. They have undertaken a number of approaches to stimulating recruitment of STEM teachers and lecturers, including the 'Transition to Teaching' programme. Designed in partnership with employers, this programme promotes a new career in teaching to employees who are considering a mid to late career change.

Improving the recruitment of teachers and lecturers in shortage subjects
Lead Organisation: Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)
www.tda.gov.uk

Careers

Showing young people the rich range of career opportunities that STEM study opens up

A well-qualified STEM workforce is crucial to business and industry in the UK. Graduates in STEM subjects can expect to receive amongst the highest salaries of all new recruits. However in 2009 a CBI survey of 350 UK employers reported 66% having difficulties recruiting STEM skilled staff.

STEM study also develops the type of analytical and numerical skills that are prized across career pathways. Young people with STEM qualifications are thus better prepared for employment in a wide range of non-STEM fields.

Young people need high-quality careers and guidance to illustrate the rich range of career opportunities that STEM study opens up to them. In this way all young people will be: