The brief
The Science Council wanted to increase engagement with science-based employers around technical education, supporting the link between the classroom-based and work-based elements of apprenticeships and T Levels. They aimed to build stronger connections between employers and technical education more broadly. Shift was commissioned to engage with a representative group of these employers.
This research formed part of the Technical Pathways Project, a Gatsby Foundation-funded project the Science Council has delivered since January 2020. It aims to raise the profile and prestige of science-based technical pathways.
The approach
We took a three-stage, mixed method approach to the research:
- Interviews with 5 Science Council member bodies – to better understand their current relationship to employers and any work that was already underway. We used these, alongside previous research and initiatives in technical education, to develop a series of potential mechanisms to test with employers in the subsequent stages.
- An eSurvey with science-based employers in the UK – this received a total of 127 cleaned survey responses.
- 20 interviews with science-based employers – to more deeply explore their context and better understand their thoughts on the proposed support mechanisms.
The value
We provided the Science Council with an in-depth report, offering insight into science-based employers’ priorities around technical education. Taking account of the diversity of employers’ contexts, size and sectors, we sought to identify approaches that would most effectively support the provision of apprenticeships and T Level work placements. We offered actionable recommendations here for the Science Council, as well as for member bodies and professional bodies in the wider sector.
