Teachers need more understanding of all vocational and technical routes into engineering and tech
Understanding career paths into engineering and technology is important. Teachers need to be supported and equipped with the best knowledge on different career paths into engineering and technology and ensure they are not biased in offering information on pathways.
A report by EngineeringUK – the second in its School report series – has found teachers are evenly divided on their preference for the best routes into engineering and technology careers.
‘School report: What teachers know and think about routes into engineering and technology’ found an even split between teachers on university and apprenticeships as the best career routes in.
But just over half of teachers – 53% – said they were ‘very or fairly confident’ in advising students on vocational or technical pathways, with 32% saying they were ‘not very confident or not at all confident’. Teachers, after parents, are the biggest group giving careers advice to young people in years 10 to 13 in England.
This is the second briefing in the School report series published by EngineeringUK, drawing on research conducted with 800 STEM teachers from across the UK.
When asked what the best route into engineering was, 36% said universities, and 36% said apprenticeships. Just 4% said vocational/technical routes such as BTECs, NVQs, HNCs or T Levels. 14% of teachers did not have a preference.
Most teachers – 83% – said they knew which subjects their students would need to take in order to have a career in engineering and technology, and 85% would recommend these careers, giving varied reasons from good pay, progression and job security as key themes.
Becca Gooch, Head of Research, EngineeringUK, said, “Teachers are hugely influential in career guidance to young people, and it’s encouraging we see an even split between universities and apprenticeships but more needs to be done on awareness of technical qualifications such as T Levels.
“The newness of some qualifications may have coloured teachers’ opinions of courses, so understanding their knowledge and perceptions of career paths into engineering and technology is important. Teachers need to be supported and equipped with the best knowledge on different career paths into engineering and technology and ensure they are not biased in offering information on pathways.”
Teachers are hugely influential in career guidance to young people, and it’s encouraging we see an even split between universities and apprenticeships but more needs to be done on awareness of technical qualifications such as T levels.
Teachers need to be supported and equipped with the best knowledge on different career paths into engineering and technology and ensure they are not biased in offering information on pathways.
— Becca Gooch, Head of Research, EngineeringUK,
