Print

Make UK A-levels comment

Published:  14 August, 2020

Commenting on the recent  A-level results, Tim Thomas Make UK director of labour market and skills policy said:

“Importantly for manufacturers, even under this year’s difficult circumstances, STEM subjects overall saw an increase in A*/A grades when compared to 2019 which is encouraging for manufacturers who desperately need digital and tech skills to continue to compete on the global stage.

Maths students saw an increase to all grades across the board, which will be welcome news but STEM entries in Biology, Chemistry and Physics collectively fell by 4.9% since 2019, with girls only making up a quarter of Physics entries. There is clearly more to do to support STEM uptake in schools with employers having a major part to play in this push.

Regional grade discrepancies need to be dealt with swiftly and fairly to ensure those planning to go to university, HE or employment are not adversely impacted in the longer term. Government must make sure that all appeals and re-sits are fully supported and treated fairly across the board.”

Related Articles

  • Make UK comment on Budget Statement 

  • A new era for UK manufacturing? 

    The recent general election has ushered in a new political chapter for the UK under the leadership of Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer. This change in direction could significantly impact the UK’s manufacturing, engineering, and industrial maintenance sectors, with a host of new opportunities and challenges on the horizon.

  • Rethink of temperature control strategies paramount to circumventing skill shortages 

    With a recent report further underlining skills shortage issues faced by the UK manufacturing sector, a prominent utilities equipment supplier is calling upon industry professionals to re-evaluate their current approaches to temperature control. PWE reports

  • The resurgence of UK manufacturing 

    In a recent study of 2436 individuals, conducted by Savanta for Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University, a transformation in public perception regarding manufacturing in the United Kingdom is taking place. The findings of the survey, “Perceptions vs Reality”, reveal an encouraging shift in the way the British public views the manufacturing sector, reflecting a newfound appreciation for its significance in the nation’s economy and its ability to tackle contemporary challenges.

  • Protecting staff  

    ARCO, a leading UK safety expert, says it is urging businesses to do more to protect employees against the dangers of the sun this summer, following a recent survey that suggested only 5% of workers receive UV protection from their employers. Following the survey, commissioned by Deb, Arco says it has launched its annual sun protection campaign, to educate employers about the danger of UV rays and the steps they can take to protect outdoor workers, including providing appropriate sun cream.

Sign up for the PWE newsletter

Latest issue

To view a digital copy of the latest issue of Plant & Works Engineering, click here.

View the past issue archive here.

To subscribe to the journal please click here.

Poll

"How is your manufacturing business preparing for a net Zero target?"






Twitter

Events Diary

Click here to let us know about an event!