Bridging the Gap – Introduction
We know we can increase the number of women entering the In Demand STEM workforce if we can encourage and support more girls through the pipeline.
We also know, however, that this will not happen quickly. Even if we could immediately increase the number of girls who continue studying STEM after GCSE, it would still take up to six years before we would see the full impact of that change in the workforce. The reality is that any significant increase will not happen immediately.
Upskilling women currently not in STEM careers and those who can be encouraged back into the workplace after a career break is another approach we will pursue but it, too, will not be sufficient to bridge the gap in time.
This has two important consequences for NI.
The first is that we must ensure all partners understand that our policies cannot deliver the change we need quickly. That is the systemic nature of the challenge we face.
The second is that we must develop and pursue policies that will deliver long term sustainable change in the supply of In Demand STEM skills. This will require careful policy design that is informed by our growing understanding of the women in STEM ecosystem if we are to transform participation in the In Demand STEM subjects that will underpin our economic success. We must avoid non systemic quick fixes that appear to solve the problem but that take our eye off the true prize.
We need to consider how to bridge the gap between the talent we need now and the time it will take us to bring that talent forwards through our education system and the wider women in STEM ecosystem.
The key tasks are:
Lead a planning sandpit with Invest NI, the Office for Talent and with key partners in business to explore the potential and options for attracting talented women working in STEM to Northern Ireland.
Develop and evaluate key options, including determining resource requirements, partnership arrangements and lead responsibilities of all actors.
Finalise and secure funding for the agreed plan.
Implement the plan.
Build a learning network with policy makers internationally.
Prepare a policy insights paper that sets out key lessons and recommendations for further action.
Use the policy insights paper to inform development of the Highly Skilled Workforce work programme required to deliver DfE’s Vision for a 10x Economy and the Skills Strategy, Skills for a 10x Economy.
Agree and secure funding for delivery of the policy paper recommendations.
Lead a planning sandpit
One potential route set out in DfE’s Vision for a 10x Economy that we will explore is how to attract international talent. Attracting talent is also a core element of the UK Innovation Strategy. Pillar 2 of the Strategy – People: We will make the UK the most exciting place for innovation talent – sets out the government’s proposals to make the UK a magnet for innovators. The Innovation Strategy also highlights the critical importance of STEM skills to the innovation process.
What we are doing
We have begun discussions with Invest NI, Intertrade Ireland and key partners in business to develop and evaluate options for attracting talented women working in STEM to Northern Ireland. We will ensure this work links to wider efforts to develop women professionally and into management and leadership positions.
Develop and evaluate key options
We are going to develop and evaluate key options, including determining resource requirements, partnership arrangements and lead responsibilities of all actors.
Finalise and secure funding for the agreed plan
Target dates for delivery, success measures and required resources are set out in Our Programme for Action.
Implement the plan
Target dates for delivery, success measures and required resources are set out in Our Programme for Action.
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