^{Date:              7 October 2008
Embargo:       None}

ESA calls for greater focus on hard skills

ESA has responded to a Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) call for evidence on the demand for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills in the UK economy. The call for evidence is part of a wider Government project to develop a greater understanding of the demand for STEM skills across different sectors in the UK economy.

ESA noted that the transition of the UK’s waste management sector towards being a high value-added process-based industry was increasing the demand for staff with STEM skills. ESA recognised that the development of closer links between industry and higher education institutions would be essential for increasing the supply of such people.

ESA also noted that the waste management industry already experiences great difficulty in attracting quality UK graduates in strongly numerate disciplines and reiterated calls for the Government to incentivise pupils to take harder courses. Such incentives could take the form of reduced tuition fees or the provision of higher grants. An alternative approach for the Government could be to encourage increased rigour and improve the quality of the courses and also to make them compulsory. This is becoming increasingly important as UK graduates have to compete more keenly in an international marketplace.

Current demand for candidates for STEM skills in the waste management sector is already far exceeding supply, which must be improved through the development of suitable apprenticeship courses for the encouragement of STEM skills. ESA therefore called for a greater focus on tailoring individual courses to meet business needs and greater publicity on the training support available to businesses.

ENDS