Future workforce and educational pathways

As well as encouraging children to develop their technical skills, we must also help them cultivate transferable skills, too. Leadership, problem-solving and communication skills, among others, can make a huge difference to performance and employability, with employers saying that they would like to see more potential recruits possess these traits.

To achieve these ambitions, we need a steady supply of teachers, backed up by the necessary support and training, to effectively deliver quality science education. This goes beyond merely instilling technical training and enthusiasm in young people; it also means being able to discuss potential career paths open to students with authority and insight. 

However, there are still ways that content can be better curated to prepare students for the world of work. This means placing a greater emphasis on training on digital technologies and sustainability-related skills – both of which are of increasing importance and interest for employers – building knowledge of the realities of working in a highly regulated sector, and enhancing transferable skills developed earlier in their education.

Employers also have a significant role to play at this stage, and we would encourage them to seek out opportunities for collaboration with schools, colleges, universities and other training providers. Supplementing specialist teaching and giving young people placement and work experience opportunities are just two of the ways in which employers can use their own resources to help shape the future workforce and ensure they come into the workplace with the skills needs to make an instant impact. 

As such, we would like to see more outreach activities from companies to inform as many potential applicants as possible of the full range of options in the chemical sciences and identify possible skill gaps before they become an issue. With clearer jobs adverts come more accomplished and suitable applications, which in turn could benefit employers eager to hire new workers.

Skills across the regulatory landscape are also in high demand among companies and the public sector and are very important given the high degree of regulation across the chemical sciences. It would therefore be wise to incorporate this knowledge into training programmes, including degrees, apprenticeships and CPD. 

There are a wealth of career routes and opportunities in the chemical sciences but some of these are not commonly known, which can limit the number of people considering these vocations. There is also the added complication that, given the high level of technical ability required for some roles, applicants must possess a particular set of key skills.

Recommendation 1: Ensure science and chemistry curriculums for ages 5-19 are equipping young people with the skills and knowledge needed for the future, including transferable skills and digital literacy – achieved via a relevant and engaging education with a strong focus on sustainability and exploration of chemistry through hands-on practical activities.
 
Recommendation 2: Empower teachers to deliver a modern and relevant chemistry curriculum by improving access to funded, high-quality, subject-specific CPD. Ensure that teachers have access to up-to-date information about the skills employers are looking for so that they can link the chemistry curriculum they teach to careers in chemistry.
 
Recommendation 3: Apprenticeship training providers should consider embedding recognised qualifications at appropriate levels in their training programmes, so their graduates are best able to demonstrate their skills and value across different chemical sciences employers.
 
Recommendation 4: Undergraduate chemistry courses should further highlight the value of transferable skills. This could include more real-world experience preparing students for future professional roles as well as increased emphasis on problem-solving, awareness of regulations, and actionable, iterative feedback.
 
Recommendation 5: Companies should provide opportunities for outreach and work experience across all educational levels from GCSE/National 5 to degree placements, so students benefit from diverse insights into a real chemical sciences workplace and associated career options.
 
Recommendation 6: Further and higher chemistry education should emphasise the role and importance of interdisciplinary science and give experience working on interdisciplinary projects akin to the challenges faced in the professional application of chemistry.
 
Recommendation 7: Chemistry courses in further and higher education should help students develop appropriate digital literacy and equip them with digital skills, including coding skills and exposure to the potential uses and risks of AI/Machine Learning.
 
Recommendation 8: Frame chemical sciences in further and higher education with a lens of green chemistry and sustainability where appropriate, so students understand the centrality of chemistry to net zero and sustainability efforts.
 
Recommendation 9:  Employers should shape future skills in the chemical sciences workforce by engaging with education and training providers, and policymakers locally and nationally, on their skills needs. This could involve participating in Industrial Advisory Boards at university chemistry departments, giving students access to their technology and resources, and/or feeding into policy analysis of local skills gaps and UK industry skills requirements.
 
Recommendation 10: Employers should be more involved in public outreach around the variety of chemistry careers and the skills required to succeed in them, for example through school outreach, work experience and other placements.
 
Recommendation 11: Policymakers should realise the growth potential of current chemical science industries by building skills in the current workforce, incentivising companies to support workers’ development. Employers must ensure access to CPD, particularly in the key evolving skills areas of sustainability, data/digital technologies and effective communication.
 
Recommendation 12: Employers should secure the talent pipeline entering technical careers by planning ahead in relation to workforce needs and ensuring recruitment criteria reflect the needs of the role and are accessible to a range of qualification levels. They should also improve the retention of technical professionals by offering accessible and meaningful professional development, career progression opportunities and better recognition.
 
Recommendation 13: Policymakers and employers should recognise regulation as an important aspect of the skills base in industry and government; they should ensure training and CPD are available to all who develop and apply regulations and other standards.