EEF believes that the engineering and manufacturing industry struggles to attract young people at all levels, and that the image of the industry is such that careers guidance needs to address some of the myths surrounding engineering as a sector and a career. We feel that young people interested in engineering careers need early guidance to ensure they keep studying Maths, Design and Technology, and Physics.
Even where engineering and manufacturing is promoted to young people, it is often only to low-achievers, who are then disappointed with the lack of opportunities for people at their level in the industry. Employers then often waste significant amounts of time “weeding out” those young people who have been encouraged to think that a career in engineering or manufacturing is appropriate for them. Young people therefore need to know early on in their education which subjects they need to study, and what levels they need to attain, if they have the interest and aptitude to study engineering.
The sector needs young people to enter the workforce at all levels. This means providing careers advice and guidance which encourages suitable candidates to apply for apprenticeships, to study engineering at university, and to enter the industry on completion of a degree. However, careers advice is too often biased towards full-time academic progression and does not promote suitable vocational, work-based, part-time opportunities to high achieving young people. A recent survey of 1st year engineering apprentices showed that two-thirds of them were advised to “stay on” in full-time education, usually to study A-levels. In addition, a recent EEF survey of engineering companies found that, in the UK, the quality of careers advice is seen as a significant negative influence on their recruitment.
EEF believes that the current system of careers advice delivery through the Connexions Service is failing the majority of young people, as Connexions Partnerships focus on the delivery of a wider service to young people who are “Not in Employment, Education and Training” (NEET).
After Higher Education, engineering and manufacturing struggles to retain graduates in STEM subjects, who are often in demand by financial institutions and other sectors of the economy. There is evidence that business placements before and during a degree have a significant effect on the young person’s first destination after graduation. In addition, as the new Specialised Diplomas are introduced from 2007/8, it is clear that young people will require more and better guidance on careers, as their options will be even more numerous. For those older that 19, the government has recently set up a careers helpline through learndirect – aimed at those without a Level 3 qualification or returning from a career break, they can receive advice and guidance on how to enter work or improve their careers.
EEF will fight for improved careers advice. The future success of the science, engineering and manufacturing sectors in UK plc is dependent on the right young people being attracted to work in the sectors, and receiving encouragement to do so. It is therefore in the best interests of the country for promote these subjects to capable young people.
We would like to see in place a system that is impartial, and that encourages young people to consider a wide range of opportunities, and that their abilities and aspirations were considered in the provision of information and guidance. It is important careers advice does not become solely a tool of the social exclusion agenda, but is a statutory provision for all youngsters. In addition, we would like to see careers advice start earlier than Year 9, to allow greater opportunity for young people to explore the potential options open to them, and that vocational options receive equal status to pure academic choices.
We will also fight to see a rise in the number and quality of young people with engineering degrees entering the sector in the UK, and using their engineering qualifications to improve productivity and competitiveness.
EEF also believes that employers in the science and engineering sectors can play their part in careers information and guidance by encouraging their employees to become Science & Engineering Ambassadors (SEA). The SEAs programme is recognised as being particularly successful in showing young people that careers in STEM industries are rewarding, exciting, and for “people like them”.