There is an urgent and long-standing shortage of qualified STEM teachers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) in England, with recruitment targets frequently missed, particularly in Physics, Computing, and Chemistry.
Now Teach are launching a fundraising campaign to support 600 career changers to retrain as new STEM teachers in classrooms across the country. You can be a part of it.
Why are the STEM 600 needed?
Our schools need more STEM teachers. Only 67% of lessons in the most disadvantaged schools were taught by teachers with a relevant qualification, compared to 79% in the least disadvantaged schools.
This forces non-specialist teachers to teach key subjects, including STEM. There is a driving need for dedicated trained specialists to teach these essential subjects, inspire students and close the skills gap of the future.
Without specialist teachers who can teach STEM subjects, the UK faces an urgent skills shortage. Recent surveys show 49% of engineering and technology businesses reporting recruitment difficulties, costing the economy roughly £1.5 billion annually and projections suggesting a potential £120 billion loss by 2030 if this is not addressed.
What will Now Teach do?
Now Teach is embarking on a new strategy, funded by philanthropic support, and we are launching a campaign requiring an investment of £700,000 to bring 600 career-change teachers into STEM classrooms across the England.
We will recruit and then support these career changers to use their STEM backgrounds for maximum impact in their schools. We aim to recruit 600 new STEM teachers by 2030.
These teachers will do three things: specialise in a key subject, stay in teaching for the long term and create a distinct impact using their previous experience.
Specialise
They will specialise in subjects that schools traditionally find it difficult to recruit and retain, including Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science. Across their careers they will share their experience and insight with a total of 60,000 students.
Stay
Teacher retention in STEM is critical, with higher attrition rates than other subjects due to better-paid industry alternatives and high workload. 30% of STEM departments report vacancies, forcing non-specialists to teach, reducing practical lessons, and increasing colleague burnout. Now Teach's support changes this.
Compared to other new teachers of a similar age, Now Teachers aged 40+ are 36% more likely to still be teaching two years after receiving their QTS. And they are 26% more likely to continue teaching four years after QTS when compared to aged-matched cohorts.
Impact
Our new STEM teachers will bring a collective 9,000 years of real-world STEM experience into schools. This will improve student outcomes when it comes to enrichment, engagement and essential skill development.
Students need careers guidance that demystifies STEM and, as they prepare to leave school, expands their sense of what’s possible.
By empowering young STEM talent to realise its full potential, we can build a more inclusive and resilient workforce, equipped to meet the challenges of the future.
Your support
To find out how you can get involved, please contact Director of Philanthropy and Communications, Katy Miles at support@nowteach.org.uk