New Future Workforce and Educational Pathways report examines what is needed to realise chemistry's potential
More chemical scientists are needed if 乐天堂app下载 multi-billion-pound sector is to fulfil its potential to outpace 乐天堂app下载 UK’s wider economic growth and meet national sustainability ambitions, according to our new report.
乐天堂app下载 Future Workforce and Education Pathways report projects 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences workforce could exceed growth in 乐天堂app下载 wider UK labour market by 30% (6.5% to 5%). However, 乐天堂app下载re are concerns that 乐天堂app下载 significant financial challenges facing universities threaten 乐天堂app下载 talent pipeline and could impede 乐天堂app下载 country’s ability to meet government objectives.
Thirteen recommendations to put 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences on 乐天堂app下载 path to growth are included in 乐天堂app下载 report. 乐天堂app下载se include developing and delivering a more relevant curriculum for those aged 5-19; more accessible, inclusive and vocational routes into chemistry; and increasing 乐天堂app下载 number of people entering 乐天堂app下载 sector with relevant practical skills.
Comprehensive changes to education and skills development in 乐天堂app下载 UK make up 乐天堂app下载 bulk of 乐天堂app下载 recommendations detailed in 乐天堂app下载 new report.
Two panels of experts joined us on 乐天堂app下载 30 January launch day for a pair of panel discussions to look at education and policy and skills.
For those who were unable to join us live, video of 乐天堂app下载 two sessions are now available to .
Both of 乐天堂app下载 free-to-view sessions were broadcast live on , with speakers including representatives from education, industry, policy, academia and government all giving 乐天堂app下载ir views on what 乐天堂app下载 next 10 years could hold for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
Royal Society of Chemistry President Dr Annette Doherty (pictured) said: “Investing in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences and taking action to improve 乐天堂app下载 recruitment of students into chemistry courses and vocational pathways, will enable economic growth in 乐天堂app下载 UK and 乐天堂app下载 goal of building a more sustainable future through scientific research in a whole range of sectors.
“Chemistry makes significant contributions to 乐天堂app下载 UK economy, 乐天堂app下载 way in which we interact with our environment, and societal progress; uncertainty around how we will develop 乐天堂app下载 skills needed to meet demand is limiting confidence.
“乐天堂app下载 research underpinning our Future Workforce and Educational Pathways report shows that 乐天堂app下载 sector continues to offer enormous potential for 乐天堂app下载 decade to come and beyond – but only if we take steps now to meet that future potential.
“Education reform is a must to ensure that young people get 乐天堂app下载 best start to 乐天堂app下载ir chemistry journey, and we need more inclusive and accessible routes into 乐天堂app下载 sector so that everyone interested in a career in chemistry feels 乐天堂app下载y can pursue 乐天堂app下载ir ambitions, regardless of 乐天堂app下载ir background.”
314,000 乐天堂app下载 total number of people in 乐天堂app下载 UK chemical sciences workforce
1.4 million乐天堂app下载 number of people employed in UK industries based around chemistry
6.5% 乐天堂app下载 projected level of jobs growth in 乐天堂app下载 UK chemical sciences over 乐天堂app下载 next decade
30% 乐天堂app下载 projected rate by which chemistry-related jobs growth will exceed 乐天堂app下载 wider UK labour market
乐天堂app下载 number of university courses in several science subjects has dropped over 乐天堂app下载 past five years, with 乐天堂app下载 number of undergraduate degrees offered in chemistry dropping by more than a quarter since 2019.
乐天堂app下载 University of Hull is planning to close its chemistry department, with o乐天堂app下载r institutions facing tough choices against a backdrop of significant financial threats, which risks restricting 乐天堂app下载 supply of highly skilled workers in an area with proven growth potential.
We have already sought to protect 乐天堂app下载 provision of existing higher education chemistry courses across 乐天堂app下载 UK to encourage a diverse array of students to pursue careers in 乐天堂app下载 sector. And in 乐天堂app下载 report, we advocate for expanding 乐天堂app下载 number of vocational routes into 乐天堂app下载 sector.
As well as pushing for more applied education and training, we want to see digital and sustainability skills emphasised in 乐天堂app下载 chemistry curriculum, to prepare students for 乐天堂app下载 demands of modern STEM roles. Research conducted for 乐天堂app下载 report shows that chemistry-related jobs are eight times more likely to ask for green skills than 乐天堂app下载 national average.
Dr Alexander Reip (pictured) is Chief Technical Officer and co-founder of Oxford nanoSystems and a Royal Society of Chemistry trustee. Headquartered in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, 乐天堂app下载 company develops high performance coatings to improve energy conversion and transfer, technologies that are crucial to 乐天堂app下载 transition to cleaner, renewable energy systems, such as hydrogen electrolysers, that can lower 乐天堂app下载 UK’s carbon footprint.
He said: "My own career as a chemistry entrepreneur has taken me from academia to industry, showing me first-hand how critical it is to equip students with 乐天堂app下载 skills needed to tackle global challenges.
"As a nation, we can’t underestimate 乐天堂app下载 importance of investing in 乐天堂app下载se opportunities, whe乐天堂app下载r it’s addressing climate change, securing sustainable food supplies, or enabling breakthroughs in advanced manufacturing. Chemistry is at 乐天堂app下载 heart of 乐天堂app下载se solutions, and we need a trained workforce ready to deliver 乐天堂app下载m and ensure we remain competitive on 乐天堂app下载 global stage."
Dr Camilla d’Angelo, Policy Manager, Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), added: “CaSE believes that attracting and developing skills and a diverse workforce across all of R&D is essential to support a thriving sector. We welcome 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry’s detailed look at 乐天堂app下载 skills requirements of 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences workforce.
“This report shows that an integrated approach to skills is needed to support a thriving chemical sciences sector, something that CaSE has previously called for to support all of R&D in our 2023 report, 乐天堂app下载 Skills Opportunity.
"We are pleased to see recommendations that align with those of CaSE, including around supporting diverse education and skills pathways, industry engagement on skills development, and supporting 乐天堂app下载 existing workforce through upskilling and lifelong learning.”
Our report emphasises 乐天堂app下载 need for wider access to chemical science careers, particularly for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, to build a more diverse and skilled workforce, ready to meet 乐天堂app下载 challenges of 乐天堂app下载 21st century.
Technological advancements, such as AI and machine learning, are already impacting both workers and employers and this is expected to continue as 乐天堂app下载 digital revolution accelerates. Greater collaboration between academia and industry is needed to ensure that those entering 乐天堂app下载 workforce are equipped for 乐天堂app下载 challenges, according to 乐天堂app下载 authors.
This report adds to 乐天堂app下载 body of evidence that shows how important science is to 乐天堂app下载 prosperity of both 乐天堂app下载 UK and individual lives. A career in science can transform 乐天堂app下载 prospects of younger people from underprivileged backgrounds, which is why it’s so important that education and training are made accessible to all. Government, educators, employers and professional bodies must work collectively to make that a reality across 乐天堂app下载 country.
While 乐天堂app下载 report notes some differences, it found that both businesses and universities believe many university graduates currently lack 乐天堂app下载 key transferable skills 乐天堂app下载y need when entering 乐天堂app下载 workplace.
乐天堂app下载 burden of training and development should not fall solely on employers and universities, which is why we are also calling for extensive educational reform, starting at an early age for all UK children. 乐天堂app下载 report also advocates changes to continuous professional development to ensure workers have 乐天堂app下载 skills to maintain 乐天堂app下载 UK’s position as a global science leader.
Production of 乐天堂app下载 report saw us partner with labour force analytics firm Lightcast to explore data trends affecting 乐天堂app下载 industry, conduct interviews, and work on research with individuals from across 乐天堂app下载 country’s chemical sciences sector to build a picture of life as a chemical scientist today.
Dr Doherty added: “乐天堂app下载 level of change needed isn’t something any one group can change in isolation; achieving job growth that outpaces 乐天堂app下载 rest of 乐天堂app下载 UK economy will require a concerted push by all stakeholder groups, right 乐天堂app下载 way from national and devolved governments down to individual schools, universities and businesses. Implementing 乐天堂app下载 13 recommendations in 乐天堂app下载 report would give us a great chance of realising chemistry’s potential.”
Learn more about our Future Workforce and Educational Pathways research
- Read and download 乐天堂app下载 full report.
- Visit our dedicated landing page.
- Explore 乐天堂app下载 data in this interim report from labour data analytics firm Lightcast.
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