UK schools need to sharpen up on the delivery of STEM subjects. That was the consensus from a panel discussion hosted by HP Europe. The panel, which was chaired by Dr Sue Black, included TV personalities Maggie Philbin and Johnny Ball, professor Will Stewart, vice president of IET and Marc Waters, managing director of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in the UK and Ireland.
Whilst a need for a new school curriculum was a key focus of the discussion, the panel also looked at the role of Government, specifically in better enabling organisations to engage directly with schools. The panel noted how the recently launched Apprenticeship Levy was a positive step from the government, but somewhat restrictive in its permitted application.
‘A long way to go but we can work together’
Marc Waters, said he believed that “The nurturing of STEM skills is important for a number of reasons: It matters to everyone; from our business and workforce, to our customers and the wider economy. We are committed to playing our part in helping the next generation, supporting various STEM initiatives, working with schools and education groups, petitioning the government and offering a trainee program in-house. There is a long way to go but if we work together as an industry we have the potential to build an enviable STEM talent pool for the future.”
