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Ready, SET Go: A Review of SET Study and Career Choices

Pollard E, Jagger N, Perryman S, Van Gent M, Mann K
Engineering Technology Board, July 2003

a report commissioned by the Engineering Technology Board

In December 2002, the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) was commissioned by the Engineering Technology Board (ETB) to look at careers guidance literature on science, engineering and technology (SET), which includes mathematics and IT.

This review followed a comprehensive search by IES of academic and policy literature in the SET area, with the final selection based on how important the material was and what impact it had achieved. There were two further criteria: literature which had often been quoted elsewhere and literature which had been used to form policy was given priority.

The Institute’s researchers decided to split the work into six chapters:

Policy and demand context

This chapter examines the supply and demand for SET skills and what careers advice is provided. It also looks at UK policy initiatives, including the formation of the ETB and the Connexions service.

Influence of gender on career choices

Since the take up of SET careers by women remains acutely small, this chapter concentrates on the literature around the subject, divided into a section on gendered occupational stereotypes, the influence of gender on career choice and gendered SET experiences.

Other factors influencing choice

This chapter reviews literature concerning curricula design, educational experiences, parental and peer group views, media images and public understanding of science, all of which have a bearing on SET study and career choice.

Role of careers advice and guidance

Literature on effective delivery of careers advice and guidance is examined, evaluating best practice.

Other careers and guidance setting

Careers advice and guidance offered in further education (FE) and higher education (HE) is reviewed in this chapter, along with the structure of careers services and careers advice offered over the Internet.

Summary and scope for intervention

This chapter draws together the themes emerging from the literature and examines the scope for further research. It lays out the most promising approaches to using careers advice to maximise the numbers studying SET subjects and pursuing SET careers.

Summary and conclusions

This final chapter summarises the key messages which appeared in each section, proposes further questions to be debated in each area of research, discusses the impact of careers advice on SET choices and makes some potential recommendations to the ETB.

The report is designed to give guidance and purpose to future SET programmes.

The relative importance of specific types of literature differed from chapter to chapter, as follows:

Policy and demand context

The majority of relevant literature here was government documents on policy initiatives, with little academic material. However, the government documents rarely mention careers advice and guidance, so the chapter concentrates on SET policy documents and the demand for SET skills.

Influence of Gender on Career Choices

By contrast, most of the literature here came from academic sources, with a wealth of material available. Since women have been under-represented in SET subjects for decades, which has in turn encouraged many academic studies of the possible causes. Relevant literature included studies of whether girls are disadvantaged in education, whether this is due to their abilities or from a lack of interest in SET subjects and careers.

Other Factors Influencing Choice

Here again, the researchers found a wide range of literature to choose from, including studies on the influence of factors such as age, social class, ethnicity, gender, experience of studying at school, public perceptions of different careers, media portrayals of SET, opinions of parents, peers or work colleagues and formal networks including careers advisers.

Role of Careers Advice and Guidance

The literature in this chapter was selected on the grounds of its practical relevance to how young people make career choices, rather than looking at an academic model of career development. Much of it is general, rather than specific to SET subjects, but nevertheless provides a useful insight.

Other Guidance Settings

Here the literature was a combination of academic papers, policy documents and evaluations of initiatives, arranged under four categories: the structure of careers services, advice, guidance and choices in FE and HE, advice, guidance and choices for adults and using ICT for advice and guidance.

Outcomes

For each of the separate chapters, the report lists key messages to have emerged from its study of the relevant literature.

Here are the main findings from each section:

Policy and demand context

The study found a great deal of policy support in the literature for the SET area as something which underlies the development of a knowledge economy. Consequently, encouraging the SET area as a career choice is a high priority. The Roberts Review of 2002 identifies several policy initiatives aiming to make SET study and careers more attractive.

The Connexions programme in England aims to target individual careers advice at the socially excluded, with similar programmes taking place in Scotland and Wales. While this may detract from mainstream SET careers services, there is sufficient emphasis on the importance of SET to balance any negative impact.

Influence of Gender on Career Choices

Boys and girls consider certain types of jobs to be specific to one gender from an early age, with parental views having a major influence; challenging gender stereotypes may instead reinforce them. The view that SET occupations are ‘male’ tends to put girls off this area of study, while it attracts boys. Girls also perceive SET occupations as being less to do with people and relationships, which acts as a further deterrent.

Other Factors Influencing Choice

A theme running through current literature on SET careers choices is the nature of the science and mathematics curricula in England, which are seen as offputting to children who might otherwise have pursued a SET career. The curricula should be more linked to everyday debates and technologies and less based on abstract theories, the report found.

Since SET subjects are often taught by non-SET specialists in early years, these could be more support for teachers. Formal careers advice can have a limited effect due to the influence of parents, friends and the media.

Role of Careers Advice and Guidance

The key debate here is over the traditional impartiality of careers advisers. Given that early perceptions and subject choices can serve to block whole areas of SET, some argue that careers advice should challenge assumptions and give early guidance, rather than simply alerting young people to what is available.

A more ‘joined-up’ approach to careers guidance, linking the many disparate organisations and individuals involved is another suggested approach, with more student-centred support delivered at the right time for individuals and by an appropriate person.

Other Guidance Settings

While provision of university careers guidance is seen as excellent, there is less thorough provision for adults. The Connexions programme may address this problem, with Internet-based advice also helping to deliver more accessible, up-to-date and relevant information. Some of the information may be contradictory, however.

Process

A defined structure was used in each chapter: starting with a brief description of the type and scope of the literature covered, then outlining the key messages to have emerged from the literature, followed by a series of research questions and issues and finally the literature itself, which takes up the bulk of each chapter.

The literature was selected according to a series of criteria. Among these were searching portals and journal databases such as Ingenta, Sciencedirect, ERIC, ABI Inform and Web of Science, using search terms including:

• careers guidance
• career choice
• subject choice
• women and science/technology/engineering/IT
• public image of science/technology/engineering/IT
• perceptions of science
• choosing science/technology/engineering/IT
• media portrayal of science, engineering and technology
• parental views of science, engineering and technology
• peer pressure and subject/career choice

Citation searches were carried out on articles which were felt by the team to be key.

Other Internet sites searched included:

• www.tso.co.uk
• www.dfes.gov.uk
• www.dti.gov.uk
• www.kcl.ac.uk

And recent editions of the following journals were searched:

• Science Education Research and Practice
• Journal of Educational Psychology
• Journal of Further and Higher Education
• Public Understanding of Science
• Issues in Science and Technology

Recommendations

The report sets out ten potential recommendations for the ETB to pursue, in order to increase the numbers of young people opting for SET study and careers.

YCS patterns

• There have been a number of ‘waves’ of the Youth Cohort Survey (YCS), looking at the influence of careers advice on the decision to study SET subjects beyond the age when they are compulsory. By examining the different waves, it should be possible to see patterns of changing provision and how this has impacted on young people’s choices. Equally, the Community Innovation Survey, looking at links between partnerships, SETqualified staff, R&D spending, other innovation activities and growth and productivity, should be examined.

Gender research

• The ETB should monitor the ongoing (and substantial) research into gender and SET study and careers. The European Commission’s research programmes are particularly noteworthy.
• The ETB’s Education Development in SET (EDiSET) could set up distinct areas for girls and parents to address their specific concerns and experiences of SET. Being Internet-based means that this means of delivery can be kept up –todate and wide-ranging.
• A coordinated approach to encouraging girls in SET subjects and careers should be taken, in order to support good practice. The impact of differing approaches should be evaluated. While the Greenfield Review will include a 2005 evaluation, the ETB could link this to the SETNET’s evaluation of SETPoints and other initiatives.

Curricula change

• In response to the widely-held concerns over the current English SET curricula – that it is too abstract and daunting for many children – the ETB could encourage change through its partners in industry and academia and amongst SET professionals.

Careers materials

• A series of focus groups should be held with school pupils, FE and HE students, to identify what sort of careers material ‘works’. How it works and with which kind of student at which age, needs to be differentiated and recorded. For example, some material may work better with boys than with girls. Some material may also influence teachers, who in turn can influence pupils. The difference between paper- and web-based materials should be examined.
• A set of guidelines for organisation which produce SET-related careers advice and guidance material, to maximise its effectiveness. Some existing material conflicts with other examples and some may have negative consequences. For example, raising expectations of the number of women and ethnic minorities working in SET careers may backfire when individuals are confronted by reality. The ETB could encourage more coherence and consistency.
• Guidelines for materials aimed at teachers could be developed, both SET subject teachers and careers guidance teachers. These need to address teachers’ own potentially negative views of SET study and careers as well as stereotypes.

Lobbying for better teachers’ careers training

• The ETB and the SET community should lobby for teachers to be given more focused training to make them better able to ensure the future supply of people for SET study and careers. This should include INSET, CPD and improved initial training.

Local Connexions

• A set of guidelines to support and encourage people into SET study and careers could be developed by the ETB for the Connexions programme. Alongside, the ETB could work with the DfES to have input to the content of courses taken by personal advisers, ensuring that SET is represented.

Ready, SET Go: A Review of SET Study and Career Choices, Pollard E, Jagger N, Perryman S, Van Gent M, Mann K. , Engineering Technology Board, 2003.
ISBN: (no ISBN). Bound copy: £free

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