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<p>The government wants to encourage more students into science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM) education and training at all stages from primary school to
higher education, which will equip people with the skills needed for such roles. We
are investing an additional £406 million in skills, including maths and digital. This
includes the Advanced Maths Premium and an £84 million programme to improve the teaching
of computing.</p><p>It is crucial we encourage more young people to consider STEM
careers, including careers such as laboratory scientist technicians. We have committed
to improving STEM careers advice in schools in the government’s careers strategy which
ensures that STEM encounters, such as with employers and apprenticeships, are built
into school career programmes by updating school and college statutory guidance.</p><p>The
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy also funds a number of programmes
that aim to inspire more young people to study science subjects, such as the STEM
Ambassadors programme, and the CREST awards, which engage students in STEM-related
projects.</p><p>T levels will also provide alternative routes into laboratory and
science technical careers. T levels will be a new gold-standard in technical education,
providing a distinctive and rigorous alternative to A levels and apprenticeships.
T level panels of employers are defining the outline content for the new programmes
and we recently announced that T levels in the Health and Science route, which includes
Laboratory Sciences, will be taught by selected providers from 2021.</p><p>Apprenticeships
are available in the sector across a range of levels including Laboratory scientist
(degree); Laboratory scientist Level 5; and Laboratory technician Level 3. These standards
are being developed by employer groups, including groups in the health and science
sector such as Pfizer, GSK, Astra Zeneca, Sterling Pharma Solutions, 3M. A full list
of standards is available on the Institute for Apprenticeships’ website at <a href="https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/"
target="_blank">https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/</a>.</p><p>To
stimulate apprenticeships growth across all sectors, we are first and foremost ensuring
that apprenticeships are a quality product recognised by individuals and employers
– setting individuals on a path to a to great career and providing employers with
the home-grown skills they need to grow their businesses and increase productivity.</p><p>We
are also currently carrying out a review of higher technical education, looking at
how level 4 and 5 classroom based technical education meets the needs of learners
and employers. This forms part of our commitment to support routes to higher-earning
technical roles and address the skills needs of the economy. Our ambition is to reform
higher level technical education so that it delivers the skills employers and the
economy need and offers attractive routes to higher earning technical roles. We also
intend to establish a system of employer-led national standards for higher technical
education.</p>
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