The Society has submitted evidence to the UK government's review of post-18 education and funding.
The response identifies four main principles that are required to equip the next generations with the skills that will be required for the future:
- Post-18 education choices cannot be considered in isolation when addressing the skills gap; it will be essential to attract and retain pupil’s interest in STEM subjects from primary school onwards, to develop new qualifications to engage students at later stages, and to support lifelong learning.
- Signalling and career advice must be established at all levels of education to allow young people to understand where their education pathway can take them.
- Quality technical education and advanced and higher apprenticeships must be offered, and valued, alongside traditional academic routes.
- Barriers must be removed to enable people from all regions, ethnicities, socio-economic statuses and genders to enter post-18 education routes.