Royal Society of Chemistry projects skills shortages
Significant financial challenges facing universities could threaten the talent pipeline, suggests a new report.
In the next decade, chemistry jobs are projected to grow by 6.5% according to the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), meaning more skilled workers will be needed to match demand. Financial challenges and lack of curriculum reforms can impede this growth.
The chemical science workforce could grow 30% faster than the wider UK labour market, the RSC estimates.
Thirteen recommendations to put chemical sciences on the path to growth are listed in its Future Workforce and Education Pathways report.
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) President, Dr Annette Doherty says ‘Education reform is a must’, as the number of undergraduate degrees offered in Chemistry has dropped by more than a quarter since 2019 – with the closure of University of Hull’s Chemistry department being a high-profile case.
The lack of access to chemistry-related professions also causes wider issues.
Professor Della Freeth, Science Council Chief Executive, says, ‘A career in science can transform the prospects of younger people from underprivileged backgrounds, which is why it’s so important that education and training are made accessible to all.’
The report also finds that businesses and universities believe many graduates lack the key transferable skills needed when entering a workplace. It calls for more vocational routes into the sector, as well as emphasising digital and sustainability skills in the curriculum.
The RSC is calling on Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves MP to invest in the sector, as a response to The Spending Review. The RSC has urged its members and supporters to write to their MPs to emphasise the importance of higher education and skills in chemistry.
The RSC is also exploring barriers faced by female academics in the chemical sciences. A survey is posted online with a closing date of Monday 31 March.
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