The issue is that the UK needs more engineers, but there are too few in the educational pipeline. Solutions abound, but most agree there needs to be a focus on teaching STEM – science, technology and maths – subjects, with the hope this attracts more people to a career in engineering. New Electronics has also written about the pressure on the school curriculum.
More fuel for the fire comes in the shape of a survey conducted by the CBI and Brunel University. It finds that science teaching in primary schools is becoming 'less of a priority' and that 36% of schools surveyed don't teach the recommended two hours of science a week.
"How can we expect to inspire future generations of scientists and engineers if we don't deliver high quality and inspiring science lessons at primary school age?," asks CBI director general John Cridland.
How indeed? But more interestingly – in the absence of a magic wand – what can be done about it? For despite all the talk about the need for more engineers, there seems to be very little interest in making changes from people who have that ability.
