When Nicholas Soames MP chose to ask some question on the subject of STEM studies and education last week, he probably did not intend to embarrass his party as it resides in Government. However if they are not embarrassed as a result of their impoverished answers, they certainly should be. This week is a special week for educational providers as the British Educational Training and Technology (BETT) Show which opened its doors yesterday at Excel in London and remains on show until Saturday afternoon. While it is unlikely that Nicholas will attend the show, I am attending today. Whilst the show is mostly a sales process, the background to the shortage of STEM skills is the elephant in the room. Back in 2013 Professor John Perkins who was the Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills completed a report that was referred to in this news piece in the Daily Telegraph. The report states “Every year, the UK faces a shortfall of over 81,000 people with engineering skills in the workforce. As things stand, that means we need to double the number of entrants into engineering across all levels of qualification. In the case of the energy sector, we face a particular challenge, because many of our most experienced engineers and scientists are set to retire in the coming years.”

So the first question from Nicholas was “To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people graduated with a STEM degree in each of the last four years for which figures are available.” The answer that came from Sam Gyimah was a figure for each year that averaged out at 175,000.

If the 175,000 people are learning Science, Maths and Technology as well as Engineering, it is possible the Engineering contingent represents 40,000 at best. The fact is that not every engineer needs a degree to fulfil the needs of society, and indeed there are many cases of people with degrees not being a good fit. However one of the other areas of training for some of these subjects is through apprenticeships, yet the delivery of apprenticeships is under great pressure due to the failings of the Government to deliver on their apprenticeship scheme for small businesses which has been promised for the last year. It is noticeable that Nicholas did not ask about STEM apprenticeships.

Nicholas then asked a subsequent question “To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to improve the quality of take-up of STEM skills.”

Nick Gibb responded with the following response:

“The Government is committed to raising both the standard of, and pupil participation in, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education at all stages of education. As my Rt hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced at the 2017 autumn budget, we are investing an additional £33 million to expand the Teaching for Mastery mathematics programme and will introduce a new premium for 16-19 providers of up to £600 per additional student studying advanced mathematics qualifications. The Government has also invested an additional £84 million to improve the teaching of computing and drive up participation in computer science

To improve the development of technical STEM skills, the Government is introducing a national system of 15 technical routes, which will include digital, engineering and manufacturing. The new T levels, which will be developed with employers, will provide progression opportunities into skilled work or higher level study, including degrees. Together with the work already underway to reform the apprenticeships system including STEM apprenticeships, they will provide a reformed, comprehensive and high quality technical option.”

As I wrote last year, the T Levels are not due to come into our Schools until 2022 in the case of digital, education, childcare and construction and 2024 in the case of Engineering and Manufacture and Health and Science. This means that the first people passing these T levels in engineering will not emerge until 2026 assuming they are 2 years courses. That is 12 years after John Perkins first called for 81,000 Engineers each year. As for the apprenticeships, as the vague words from Nick Gibb suggest, there is not clear indication when non levy apprenticeships will begin to commence. As John Perkins wrote “If we are to compete in the global race, we need to equip our people with the skills to adapt, innovate and flourish.” It appears that our Government has given up any prospect of fully delivering on the Engineering requirement our nation is facing.