CBI calls for STEM subject bursaries

News Article - 15 August 2007
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The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has called for an annual golden carrot bursary of £1,000 for technology students to act as an incentive in persuading more youngsters to study the subjects.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students should each receive the annual grant as part of a five-point plan outlined by the CBI, which would include the separating of the brightest 40 per cent of science pupils into classes studying the individual sciences.

The CBI has also called for £120 million in new funding to allow for the implementation of one-to-one career advisors for people aged 14, 16 and 18.

Grants should be given to help with tuition fees, amounting to an annual £200 million, the body estimates, while younger pupils should receive teaching from more specialist tutors.

"Bursaries towards the cost of degrees which are most useful to the economy could kick-start thousands of young people into reconsidering a future in science," said Richard Lambert, CBI Director-General, but he added that the bursaries would form only part of the solution.

CBI analysis has shown that the number of students taking engineering and technology degrees has fallen by 3.6 per cent over the last decade.

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