It was brilliant to visit Concurrent Technologies in Colchester. It was interesting to learn that they design a range of high performance Intel® processor boards, switches, networking, storage and software products for use in a range of equipment and technology, including within military tanks and helicopters. Concurrent Technologies manufacture all their board products in their Colchester-based factory to meet the highest level of inspection standards for long life-cycle, reliable operation. Their products are used by many of the world’s leading integrators within the Defence, Security, Aerospace, Telecommunications, Transportation, Medical and Industrial markets and are designed to be operated in a range of temperatures and environments. Their products are exported around the globe, and it was inspiring to learn of such a thriving and technologically advanced Colchester-based company.
We also had the opportunity to discuss the importance of STEM subjects in our education system and getting more young people studying engineering and other technological and digital subjects.
STEM subjects have become increasingly popular. For example, there has been a 26.2 per cent increase in entries to STEM subjects at A Level for both boys and girls since 2010. Furthermore, since 2010, total entries in mathematics and further mathematics have increased by 20 per cent, despite a 10.7 per cent decrease in the A level cohort population in the period.
With regards to the digital sectors, they contribute over £116 billion to the UK's economy each year. Our country needs an estimated 1.2 million more people with specialist digital skills by 2022. Clearly, it is vital to ensure the next generation has the technological skills we need to help maintain the UK's position as a leading global digital economy.
I am encouraged that the national curriculum includes computing, to ensure that pupils have experience of writing computer programs. In addition, the UK has become one of the first G20 countries to introduce coding into the primary curriculum.
Entries into computer science GCSE have risen rapidly since its introduction in 2013, from just over 4,000 to over 70,000 in 2018. This qualification has replaced the ICT GCSE and now includes more challenging content such as algorithms and computer programming. This will ensure that pupils who take this GCSE are better prepared for further education, higher education and beyond.
£84 million of funding is being invested in a programme to improve the teaching of computing and drive up participation in computer science further, including at GCSE. This includes the creation of the National Centre of Computing Education which will help to strengthen teaching of the computing curriculum and is supported by a new programme which will train up to 8,000 computing teachers on the latest digital skills. This will ensure that every secondary school in England has a teacher who can support pupils to succeed.
Indeed, with reference to STEM subjects as a whole, it is extremely important that we encourage more girls into studying these subjects and more women into the STEM fields of work. For too long women have been underrepresented in these important fields and the take-up of these subjects has been too low. However, Ministers have stressed their commitment to encouraging the uptake of STEM subjects across the education system, in schools, colleges and at universities.
I welcome that more girls now do science subjects (biology, chemistry and physics combined) at A-Level than boys, and that overall science entries are up by 7.4 per cent.
Substantial investment has been made available for maths and computing, including £35 million to expand the successful Teaching for Mastery maths programme into a further 3,000 schools. More than £80 million will be made available to reward schools and colleges who support their students to study maths beyond GCSE. I am also supportive of the measures to ensure every secondary school pupil has the opportunity to develop computer science skills, by ensuring every school has a fully qualified computer science GCSE teacher. Up to £84 million will be invested to upskill 8,000 computer science teachers by the end of this Parliament.
Moreover, the STEM Ambassador programme is designed to encourage and inspire young people to study STEM subjects and pursue careers in STEM-related industries. The programme has a network of over 30,000 volunteers from scientific research and business who visit schools, colleges and youth and community groups. Over 40 per cent of STEM Ambassadors are women, which provides girls and young women with important role models which may encourage them to consider STEM subjects and careers.