Professor John Perkins' Review of Engineering Skills carried out for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills sets out some of the context to the programme. In the review, Prof Perkins said: "I hope this report will be a call to action that will bring engineering employers, the profession and educators together, to own and collectively shape a future in which our supply of engineers grows in quality as well as quantity."
STEM skills are considered essential to the UK's ranking as the sixth largest manufacturer.Engineering contributes some £800billion to the UK economy annually and around 10% of the world's scientific research has its origins here.Commercial organisations and Government bodies alike, however, have bemoaned the lack of a joined-up agenda on skills provision, for example the IT skills gap identified along with the decreasing numbers of students studying computing and ICT at 'A' level.
Carol Snape, ceo of Gateway Qualifications said: " Sir James Dyson is on record as saying that Engineers are the people who will create the practical solutions to the 21st century challenges of sustainability, housing and an ageing population.He said 'we need more of them' and our own belief is that this collaboration with Cogent Skills will provide learners in the STEM sector with the best possible launch pad to go on and meet the need for .For Cogent Skills' partners that means a workforce with a fully rounded portfolio of vocational and academic skills contextualised to their real-world circumstances and environment.These learners will be work ready to meet those challenges."
