UK Electronics Skills Foundation UKESF Securing future talent for industry
2 UKESF Securing future talent for industry Contents PAGE 3 All about UKESF About UKESF How does UKESF work? Who is involved? PAGE 4 Why get involved? Why should employers engage with UKESF? How can companies get involved? What impact is UKESF having? PAGE 7 UKESF Go4SET Project What is the Go4SET Project? What s the purpose of the project? How can employers get involved? PAGE 8 UKESF Electronics Summer Schools How do the Summer Schools work? Why should companies sponsor UKESF Summer Schools? How can companies benefit by sponsoring Summer Schools? What does sponsorship cost? About Headstart students CONNECTING EMPLOYERS WITH YOUNG TALENT IN SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES PAGE 10 UKESF Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme How does the Scholarship Scheme work? What does a scholarship involve? PAGE 11 Scholarships Costs and Benefits How do companies benefit by engaging with the scheme? What are the costs involved? How are scholars selected?
UKESF Securing future talent for industry 3 ATTRACTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEGREES AND CAREERS IN ELECTRONICS About UKESF The UK Electronics Skills Foundation is a registered educational charity and was co-founded in 2010 by NMI, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Semta and industry partners. UKESF addresses the threat of diminishing skills capability in the UK electronics sector posed by the decline in UK students taking up Electronic Engineering degrees. UKESF aims to secure a sustainable supply of quality and industry-prepared graduates by helping to attract, prepare and retain talent for the sector to maintain and grow its global leadership position. How does UKESF work? UKESF offers a sector-specific programme for employers to engage with young people at school and university through to graduate employment, by sponsoring and participating in a programme that is: Raising awareness in schools of the value of electronics to society and the economy UKESF facilitates Employer Engagement with Schools through the Our Electronics Environment project, an engineering challenge for 12-14 year olds, developed and delivered in partnership with EDT s Go4SET Scheme 1. Attracting school students to degrees and careers in Electronic Engineering Through the EDT Headstart program, UKESF offers residential Summer Schools for talented 17 year olds to experience a taste of degree study in Electronic Engineering and to learn about technological advances and careers in the sector. Facilitating relationships between companies and university students Through its Scholarship Scheme, UKESF matches high calibre undergraduate students at leading UK universities with companies for sponsorship and practical experience of the industry through mentoring and work placements. Securing employment for graduates With its Graduate Placement Scheme, UKESF helps place graduating scholars with employers through its network of companies where sponsors are unable to offer employment. Who is involved? Founder and Industry Partners supporting UKESF and providing strategic direction UKESF was established and is being supported with funding from NMI, BIS, Semta and its industry founders and partners. University Partners helping to promote and deliver the programme UKESF is supported by leading universities for electronics in delivering its Scholarship Scheme and Summer Schools. Industry sponsors key to the success of UKESF 1 EDT is an educational charity and the largest provider of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) enrichment activities for UK youth
4 UKESF Securing future talent for industry WORKING WITH A GROWING NETWORK OF COMPANIES TO ATTRACT MORE YOUNG TALENT TO ELECTRONICS THROUGH OUR SCHOOLS ACTIVITIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS Why should employers engage with UKESF? To ensure a prosperous future for the electronics industry By participating in this national programme, employers can collaborate to overcome the skills challenges faced by a transformational, diverse and innovative sector with a high proportion of SME companies. UKESF offers a flexible programme attractive to companies of all sizes. To support a programme that attracts more young people to electronics By working with UKESF, employers can help raise awareness of the industry and increase the number of quality Electronic Engineering graduates with the skills it needs. To increase awareness of their company profile and career opportunities UKESF works with its partners to promote the programme and its sponsors to students in schools and universities across the UK. To make early connections with young talent for future employment Through the UKESF programme, employers can provide young people with direct and positive experiences of the industry and contribute to their skills development. How can companies get involved? Employers can engage with one or more of the activities in the UKESF programme: Sponsoring a school team on the Go4SET project to promote electronics; Sponsoring a Summer School and participating in its delivery; Sponsoring a student through university on the UKESF Scholarship Scheme. What impact is UKESF having? UKESF is increasing awareness of the electronics sector and its career opportunities among school and university students in the UK. Go4SET Our Electronics Environment has been running since 2012 and is available to employers and schools across the country; The electronics Summer Schools have run annually since 2011 for up to 80 students a year; We have awarded up to 60 UKESF Scholarships a year since 2010 with a growing number of companies and UKESF scholars are now graduating into the sector; We continue to grow our university partners to meet employer demand for scholarships.
UKESF Securing future talent for industry 5 This is the most exciting industry collaboration initiative we ve seen to help us nurture the skills that will secure an even brighter future for our business and the UK economy - Kirsty Gill, ARM
6 UKESF Securing future talent for industry We must reach out to young minds to inspire them at an early age to learn more about this industry and the exciting and varied careers on offer - Nick Salter, CSR
UKESF Securing future talent for industry 7 UKESF Go4SET PROJECT An engaging and contemporary electronics project for 12-14 year olds: Facilitating employer engagement with local schools Stimulating pupils interest in electronics in the world around them Linking school science and maths to future careers What is the Go4SET Project? The UKESF Go4SET Our Electronics Environment project is a bespoke engineering challenge for 12-14 year olds for employers to engage with local schools. UKESF co-developed the project in partnership with EDT s 2 Go4SET programme as one of its portfolio of projects. EDT operates Go4SET hubs across the UK as 10-week long regional engineering challenges each involving a number of school teams. Teams of 6 pupils are sponsored and mentored by companies. Company mentors are key members of Go4SET teams, supporting a team of pupils and their teacher throughout the project and acting as a role model for pupils to learn about individual career pathways in the industry. What s the purpose of the project? Our Electronics Environment is designed to excite 12-14 year olds about electronics in today s and tomorrow s world and invites schools teams to: Investigate the role electronics played in our lives 50 years ago; Devise smart electronic solutions to problems identified in their schools; and Predict what might be possible 5 years into the future. It demonstrates the relevance of STEM 3 subjects in school to careers in electronics and provides opportunities for pupils to: Develop their research skills; Experience the stimulation of an open-ended challenge; Be creative and innovative; and Experience practical hands-on electronics. Go4SET empowers pupils to make informed decisions about the multiple career pathways open to them, broadens their skills set and stimulates their interest in Science and Engineering. How can employers get involved? Any employer and school in the UK can engage with this project through the national EDT Go4SET programme. For more information on what s involved and sponsorship costs, contact info@ukesf.org 2 EDT is an educational charity and the largest provider of STEM enrichment activities for UK youth 3 STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
8 UKESF Securing future talent for industry UKESF ELECTRONICS SUMMER SCHOOLS Electronic engineering experience courses for 16-17 year olds: Connecting employers with school students interested in engineering and technology Raising awareness of the UK electronics industry and its significance Attracting more young people to degrees and graduate careers in electronics How do the Summer Schools work? Encouraging talented school students to consider careers in the electronics industry Our Summer Schools provide opportunities for 16-17 year olds studying courses in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths to spend a week finding out about degree study and careers in electronics before making their university applications. Delivered in partnership with EDT Headstart, industry sponsors, and leading UK universities UKESF facilitates focussed courses in electronics through EDT Headstart, a well-established summer school programme that encourages school students to consider careers in technology-based industries. Companies from the electronics sector sponsor the Summer Schools and can contribute: With their young engineers meeting and talking to students about their careers since graduating; By delivering hands-on electronics challenges; By hosting visits for students to see advanced electronics applications in action. UKESF university partners host the Summer Schools and contribute with design-build-and-test projects, practical problem solving activities and lectures, all typical of those delivered on Electronic Engineering degree programmes. Why should companies sponsor UKESF Summer Schools? To support a scheme that is: Attracting more bright young people to degrees and graduate careers in electronics; Raising awareness among schools students of the UK electronics sector s global leadership position and its economic significance; Highlighting the pioneering technologies developed by UK companies and the range of stimulating career opportunities. How can companies benefit by sponsoring Summer Schools? By making early contact with outstanding young people; Increased awareness of the company and career opportunities among pre-university students; Positive PR opportunities through UKESF promotion. What does sponsorship cost? Sponsorship varies depending on the numbers of sponsors and places offered to students. Companies interested in sponsoring a UKESF Summer School should contact info@ukesf.org for further information. About Headstart students 92% have over eight A to C grades at GCSE or Scottish Standard examinations; 96% say Headstart summer schools strengthen their decision to study engineering; 64% say the courses confirm or help their choice of discipline; 33% are young women and 17% from ethnic minorities; 63% tracked through university read MEng courses; 86% declare engineering or science-based roles as their first job destination.
UKESF Securing future talent for industry 9 We need to attract more bright students back to electronics degrees for the UK industry to remain amongst the best in the world - Tony King-Smith, Imagination Technologies
10 UKESF Securing future talent for industry UKESF UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME Connecting employers with talented undergraduate students Reinforcing students skills development for graduate employment Retaining more graduates for the sector through industry awareness and work experience How does the Scholarship Scheme work? Linking high-calibre undergraduates with companies for scholarships UKESF matches students from its partner universities with companies for sponsorship and practical experience of the industry. Scholars are registered on IET accredited BEng and MEng degrees in Electronics or Electronic Engineering. Companies provide scholars with bursaries, mentoring, work placements and sponsorship to attend UKESF professional development workshops, all contributing to their skills development for graduate employment. A flexible scheme attractive to companies of all sizes Scholarships can commence from any year of a student s degree, except the final year, and continue for the duration of the degree, with sponsoring companies providing each scholar with at least one paid work placement. Depending on needs, companies can support one or more scholars at any time. Preparing scholars for the sector By attending UKESF professional development Summer Workshops, scholars develop industry relevant skills that complement their work placement experiences. Courses are delivered in collaboration with the IET, experienced leadership and management development consultants and sponsoring companies. Scholars also hear from industry leaders about engineering advances and challenges in the electronics sector. Supporting graduate employment for scholars There is neither an obligation on the sponsoring company to employ a scholar on graduation, nor for the scholar to join the company. Where companies are unable to offer employment, UKESF helps place graduating scholars with other UKESF sponsors through its Graduate Placement Scheme. What does a scholarship involve? For a basic scholarship companies provide each scholar with: A bursary for each year of the scholarship; At least one paid work placement for a minimum of 8-weeks, usually during a summer vacation; An industrial mentor; Sponsorship to attend a residential UKESF Summer Workshop 4. Companies can also supplement a scholarship with a longer industrial training or MEng project placement (of up to 12 months) where a student s degree programme includes that opportunity. 4 Optional for companies sponsoring a scholar only for the final two years of a degree
UKESF Securing future talent for industry 11 How do companies benefit by engaging with the scheme? Access to top quality undergraduate students at leading UK universities; Building relationships with talented students and contributing to their skills development with a view to graduate employment; Increased awareness among undergraduates of the company profile and career opportunities. What are the costs involved? The cost of a scholarship varies, depending on its duration, the number of work placements, and whether the scholar attends a Summer Workshop. For each scholarship sponsors pay: A bursary of 1,680 p.a. for a scholar on a 3-year BEng or 4-year MEng degree 5 ; A salary to the scholar for each work placement; Management fees to UKESF for each year of the scholarship; The course fee for a scholar to attend a Summer Workshop (if relevant); Companies also pay interview expenses to their selected scholarship candidates. Please contact info@ukesf.org for the current rates for bursaries, the minimum work placement salary for a scholar, the UKESF management fees and Summer Workshop fees. How are scholars selected? Students apply through UKESF for scholarships in October each year, with the selection process taking place during November and December; UK and EU students only can apply; Applicants identify their preferred companies; Applicants must demonstrate an interest in a career in the sector, good academic achievement and a skill set attractive to employers; Companies receive applications and select candidates for interview; Companies conduct their own interviews and select the students they wish to sponsor. 5 For the 4-year BEng and 5-year MEng degrees at Scottish universities, the bursary is 1,120 p.a. in the first two years of the degree and 1,680 p.a. thereafter. The rates given apply to scholarships awarded in the academic year 2015/16 and will increase to reflect inflation.
UK Electronics Skills Foundation Founder Partners Industry Partners University Partners THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH Industry Founders Supported by Email: info@ukesf.org Web: www.ukesf.org UKESF is a charity registered in Scotland (SC043940)