Embed engineering in school curriculums - IET report

Endorsed by over 150 engineering leaders and prominent personalities such as Tim Peake, Carol Vorderman, and will.i.am, the Engineering Kids’ Futures (EKF) report sets out several proposals to boost engineering in the UK and plug the enormous skills gap in the sector. An average of 10 STEM roles are currently unfilled in the average UK business, leading to an estimated overall shortfall of 173,000 workers. According to the organisation STEM Learning, this is costing the UK economy £1.5bn per year.

“As we know, subjects like science and maths are eagerly taught in schools, but connecting them to engineering – the link between these subjects, their purpose and application to the world in which we live – is not currently being made clear,” said David Lakin, IET head of Education, Safeguarding & Education Policy.

“We need to ensure there are clearer learning outcomes for these subjects. Put simply, we need to embed engineering into the mainstream curriculum. One way we can do this is by reviewing the current D&T curriculum, which is a key engineering and technology gateway subject, and give it more importance in the EBacc suite of subjects. Teacher training is also a key factor, and providing an engineering package aligned with the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework is vital to enhance a teacher’s understanding and confidence around talking about engineering in the classroom.”