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January 2023 - Engineering

Nearly half parents believe that engineering and technology should be a compulsory core subject at GCSE: A survey of parents has revealed that 47% agree that engineering and technology should be a compulsory core subject at GCSE, with 53% believing that there is too much emphasis on science, maths and English.

The survey by The Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) polled 1,020 parents (aged 20+) with children aged 5-18 at panels across the UK.

The research found that more than half the parents polled (55%) believe that without formal teaching in engineering and technology (the application in real-life of subjects such as maths and science), they are concerned that their child will not have adequate information to make big decisions about their future career. 

Indeed, seven out of 10 parents (70%) believe that the curriculum falls short when it comes to teaching children about the real-life application of the subjects they study in primary and secondary school. Seven in 10 (69%) believe that it is paramount that children are exposed to engineering and technology at a young age to spark an interest in these areas. This is especially important as 55% of parents said they rely solely on schools for teaching their children about engineering and technology.

Six in 10 respondents (61%) said that they 'would struggle' to explain to their kids at home which careers could be boosted by engineering and/or technology qualifications, while 39% said that the curriculum in its current form leaves children 'least prepared' for a future career in a engineering and technology.

The survey also found that 60% of parents believe that girls are not encouraged enough to explore engineering and technology as a career option.

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