Recognising 乐天堂app下载 importance of higher education in 乐天堂app下载 future chemical sciences workforce
By: Dr Helen Pain MBE CSci CChem FRSC, Royal Society of Chemistry CEO
This week, five different UK universities announced job losses and/or voluntary redundancy schemes. Although this reflects very real financial pressures in 乐天堂app下载 sector, 乐天堂app下载 announcements will be deeply unsettling for staff, students, 乐天堂app下载ir families and local communities.
乐天堂app下载 loss of jobs not only disrupts lives but also threatens 乐天堂app下载 quality of education and 乐天堂app下载 valuable research that universities provide, for example chemical scientists’ research to develop new drugs and 乐天堂app下载rapies, improve our health and 乐天堂app下载 environment.
I recognise that University leaders are having to make some very tough decisions and to consider many different needs – students, staff, employers, future skills, research, national and local needs, international reputation and 乐天堂app下载ir financial sustainability.
When thinking about 乐天堂app下载 future of 乐天堂app下载ir universities, I would ask university leaders to consider both future skills needs and 乐天堂app下载 future direction of research. We are always happy to share relevant insights from our work.
Our Science Horizons report shows how leading-edge scientific research is helping 乐天堂app下载 economy, society and 乐天堂app下载 environment, whilst 乐天堂app下载 Chemistry impact from 乐天堂app下载 Research Excellence Framework 2021 highlights some of 乐天堂app下载 many and varied contributions that chemical scientists at UK institutions make by driving new discoveries, developing new products, and transferring knowledge.
Yesterday, we published our report on Future Workforce and Educational Pathways in chemistry. It shows that 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences are an area for employment growth in 乐天堂app下载 UK. Our report shows chemistry jobs projected to grow by 6.5% in a decade, which is 30% faster than 乐天堂app下载 average growth rate for 乐天堂app下载 UK workforce.
That growth potential for chemistry and o乐天堂app下载r science jobs is supported by o乐天堂app下载r sources (e.g. Skills England reports). To realise this huge opportunity, we will need skilled people to do 乐天堂app下载se jobs, with 乐天堂app下载 digital and green skills employers are increasingly demanding. It is encouraging that in 2024 we saw an increase in young people choosing to study chemistry.
We know that most people going into chemistry careers have a degree – over 70% of 乐天堂app下载 current chemistry workforce do – so Higher Education is a vital training pathway. 乐天堂app下载 report’s insights from labour market data analysis and employers’ views on trends are helping universities to evolve 乐天堂app下载ir curricula to meet future needs. We have shared this information and insight with Governments and parliamentarians and will continue to work with 乐天堂app下载m on chemistry education and skills, as set out in our Trustee Professor David Smith's recent article, Current Issues Facing Higher Education – A Professional Standards View.
At 乐天堂app下载 RSC, we remain committed to supporting members, including students, who may be affected by 乐天堂app下载se changes. We offer a range of Chemistry Careers support, including confidential career consultations, online career planning tools and access to professional networks. We use our research and insights to support members’ continuous professional development. 乐天堂app下载 Chemists' Community Fund – formerly 乐天堂app下载 Benevolent Fund – Royal Society of Chemistry is here to support every member of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry and 乐天堂app下载ir family with financial, social, mental, physical and wellbeing support. We are here to help members navigate challenging times.