Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of students studying electronics and engineering at (a) further and (b) higher education in order to develop the skills required to meet vacancies in UK companies involved with chip design.

The department is investing £3.8 billion more in further education and skills over the course of this Parliament to ensure people can access high-quality training and education that addresses skills gaps and boosts productivity, to ensure that industries such as engineering and electronics get people with the skills that they need.

Through this investment, we are creating a wide range of different opportunities for people to acquire in-demand skills. In particular, we have made key reforms to technical education to encourage people to take up technical routes, which could lead to them entering careers in engineering and electronics.

Our high-quality apprenticeships continue to provide young people with the opportunity to earn and learn the skills needed for a career in the engineering and manufacturing sector.Employers can choose from over 147 employer-designed apprenticeships in the sector, and we are raising awareness of apprenticeships among young people through our ‘Get the Jump’ campaign.

T Levels are also strengthening vocational options for young people finishing their GCSEs. They are two-year, technical qualifications designed with businesses and employers, equivalent in size to three A levels and with 20% of the course time in an industry placement. Three T Levels in Engineering and Manufacturing and three T levels in Digital sectors are now available.

The Free Courses for Jobs offer, which was launched in April 2021, allows eligible adults to access over 400 Level 3 qualifications (A-level equivalent) for free, in subject areas including engineering and digital.

We are establishing 21 Institutes of Technology (IoTs) across the country, providing access to industry standard facilities which focus on the needs of employers and learners in their specific geographical areas. IoTs are partnerships between further education providers, universities (HE) and employers, with employers at the heart of decision-making, curriculum development and delivery. IoTs aim to help close skills gaps in key STEM areas, including digital, construction, engineering and manufacturing, and life sciences.​

Through the Strategic Priorities Grant, the department supplies funding to support HE providers’ ongoing teaching and other related activities. Over half of this funding is directed towards the provision of high-cost subjects, including engineering and technology subjects.

We are investing an additional £750 million over the next three years to support high quality teaching and facilities including in engineering. This includes the largest increase in government funding for the HE sector to support students and teaching in over a decade.