The SET workforce

The DTI report Maximising Returns – to science, engineering and technology careers, published in January 2002, estimated that the number of SET graduates in the working age population increased between 1992 and 2000 by 19 per cent, from 1.1 million to 1.3 million. However, owing to the increase in the number of graduates overall, the proportion holding a SET degree declined from 32 per cent to 25 per cent. Although the number of women SET graduates is increasing, in 2000 men outnumbered women by more than four to one.

The study found that less than half of male SET graduates and approximately a quarter of female SET graduates were employed in key SET occupational groups (as defined by the study), such as engineers, scientists and computer programmers. They may, however, be engaged in related occupations such as sales and marketing. According to the 2001 ONS Business R&D Survey, the number of staff employed on R&D in UK businesses increased by 7 per cent between 1996 and 2001, to 152,000. Scientists and engineers accounted for almost two-thirds of the staff. In 2000/01 there were 84,000 full-time SET staff employed in higher education: including just over 48,000 working in teaching and research, and just over 32,500 working only in research. In all, 32 per cent were women.

Roberts Review

The ‘Roberts Review’ was published in SET for Success, the supply of people with science, technology, engineering and mathematical skills in April 2002. It found that, compared to other countries, the United Kingdom has a relatively large and growing number of students studying for scientific and technical qualifications. This growth primarily reflected increases in those studying IT and the biological sciences, and there were downward trends in the numbers studying mathematics, engineering and the physical sciences. The review made recommendations to deal with a number of issues including:

·         poor experiences of science and engineering education, coupled with a negative image of careers in the sector;

·         a shortage of women choosing to study subjects such as mathematics, engineering and the physical sciences;

·         insufficiently attractive career opportunities in research; and

·         science and engineering graduates and postgraduates not having the transferableskills required by R&D employers.

The 2002 Spending Review provided for additional investment of £100 million a year by 2005/06 paid via the Science Budget. This is to enable the OST to take forward the key recommendations of the Roberts Review. Measures include attracting students in schools and universities to science through improved pay and training for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, together with better teaching and research facilities.

Women in SET

In April 2003 the Government published A Strategy for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology in response to Baroness Greenfield’s report, SET Fair published in November 2002, which examined the status of women in SET in the United Kingdom and overseas. The aim of the strategy is to improve the participation of women in SET in employment, education and policy making in the United Kingdom and it is aimed equally at academia, industry and public service. New initiatives will include a resource centre to support and advise SET employers and professional bodies, and funds to help support new schemes, for example for mentoring and networking or to help with mobility needs. The strategy also sets out a new role for the Promoting SET for Women Unit, which was set up in 1994. Its tasks will include:

·         setting up and managing the new resource centre;

·         working across government departments to ensure that they follow good practice in their employment of women scientists;

·         working with the DfES to ensure that mainstream policies on science in schools, careers advice and information, and higher education take account of women in SET;

·         ensuring all aspects of mainstream science policy do not disadvantage women in SET; and

·         setting up and supporting a new implementation group to oversee the strategy’s progress and impact.

Rosalind Franklin Award

In March 2003 Professor Susan Gibson was presented the first Rosalind Franklin Award. The award commemorates the scientist whose work contributed to the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA and rewards excellence in SET. Professor Gibson is Daniell Professor of Chemistry at King’s College London, and works in the field of synthetic chemistry.