A new government campaign, Your Life, has been announced to increase participation in maths, science, and physics A-levels by 50%.
Launched by education secretary Nicky Morgan at London’s Google offices, the campaign hopes to ensure the UK is equipped with the skills it needs for today’s employment landscape.
Speaking at the event, Morgan explained her ambition is to encourage a new generation of young people, especially girls, to study maths and physics to put them on the career ‘fast track’.
Live Your Life
Your Life hopes to promote role models, and create mentoring programmes and work placement opportunities with leading businesses.
Morgan believes that the campaign can help plug the technical skills gap that is currently holding back growth.
According to a recent study, the UK currently faces an annual shortfall of 40,000 workers with the necessary scientific and mathematical skills.
Morgan explained that the campaign will ensure “all young people leave school with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life in modern Britain”.
Increasing the focus on STEM subjects is a key part of this as it will empower girls and boys equally to leave school able to get a job and get on in life.
Backed by business
The campaign is being led by a group of UK businesses to ensure it produces the talent companies need. The businesses include BAE Systems, Carillion, Ford, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Rio Tinto, Shell and Visa.
Over 200 other organisations have also backed Your Life, many of whom offered their support to young people interested in a career in STEM.
Chair of Your Life Edwina Dunn believes the campaign can highlight the skills most needed for success in business.
In a changing world dominated by technology, it is the skills learned from studying mathematics and science that will matter most.
Yet these are exactly the subjects that the vast majority of 16 year olds are turning away from – put off by the misconception that maths and science aren’t relevant to their future.