Introduction
Submitted to: HM Treasury
Our submission to the Spending Review Phase 2, setting out our policy proposals. They draw on our extensive research and first-hand experience of working with STEM educators and employers. The recommendations are aimed predominantly for HM Treasury and the Department for Education.
Who this is for
- MPs
- Policymakers
Key recommendations
EngineeringUK’s spending priorities for STEM and engineering education and skills are sub-divided into 6 broad categories:
- Growing engineering apprenticeships for young people
- Ensuring high-quality careers provision and work experience in schools
- Supporting effective STEM outreach programmes
- Improving STEM teacher recruitment, training, and retention
- Reforming the national curriculum
- Expanding routes into engineering higher education
Within these, we make the following costed policy proposals:
- Move towards a new model of directly funding apprenticeships for young people between the ages of 16 and 18, by re-directing unallocated apprenticeship levy funding
- Publish a new long-term careers strategy, backed by at least £85m per annum in funding over the next five years, alongside a comprehensive work experience strategy as a roadmap to delivering 2 weeks’ work experience for every pupil
- Fund what works research to conduct robust evaluations of STEM interventions
- Commit to sustaining funding for the STEM Ambassadors programme, delivered via STEM Learning
- Additional funding for the British Science Association to double the uptake of CREST Awards over the next 5 years, whilst maintaining current funding
- Sustain existing Initial Teacher Training funding for STEM subjects, including key practical subjects such as Design & Technology.
- Invest in high-quality Continuing Professional Development for STEM teachers
- Sufficient funding to implement the changes recommended by the Curriculum and Assessment Review
- Increase grant funding for strategically important, high delivery-cost STEM courses via the Strategic Priorities Grant
