Overview
This report examines STEM secondary teachers’ knowledge and understanding of engineering and how able and motivated they feel to provide related careers guidance and activities to their students. We look at how teachers can be better supported and, in turn, support young people from all backgrounds to have the capability, opportunity and motivation to pursue an engineering career.
Teachers, are key educators and one of the major influencers of young people. As such, they need to have knowledge and confidence to provide their students with quality STEM education and give them a good understanding of engineering careers and how to get into them.
Engineering Brand Monitor 2021, STEM secondary teachers
Who this is for
- Policymakers
- Researchers
- Teachers
- Careers leads
- STEM outreach organisations
Key findings
- Around three quarters of teachers (73%) agreed that their school supports students to develop the skills they would need to pursue engineering if they wanted to
- 85% of teachers agreed that it was part of their role to help students understand what STEM careers they could pursue and just 6% agreed that careers outreach was not relevant for them and their students
- Just 29% agreed or strongly agreed they know what engineering careers outreach was available to them and their students and 43% disagreed or strongly disagreed
- Overall, 48% of teachers agreed that a lack of funding had negatively affected their ability to run STEM activities within their school
- 10% of teachers agreeing that there are natural differences between men and women that make men better suited to a career in engineering
