Written evidence submitted by the London Borough of Haringey (GAP0038)
Haringey Council is the regional leader in London’s efforts to close the STEM skills gap. We are promoting STEM teaching excellence, investing in skills infrastructure, and establishing stronger links with STEM based industries. Our aim is to create opportunities and pathways for Haringey’s young people, often from some of the London’s most deprived areas, to participate in the modern high- skilled economy.
Technology is radically changing the type of skills and knowledge that young people require to participate and succeed in the modern job market. We are determined to do everything we can to ensure that all children and young people growing up in the borough are best placed to seize the new opportunities that technological change is bringing.
We believe that local and regional government is best positioned to understand the skills needs of young people and industry, and to take a lead on addressing the STEM skills gap.
STEM skills are critical to local growth and regeneration
Closing the STEM skills gap is an essential part of Haringey’s wider vision for driving growth and regeneration in the borough, and maximising our contribution to the wider London economy. Our ambitious regeneration plans for Tottenham and Wood Green will see major public and private investment to transform the areas, delivering tens of thousands of new homes and jobs over the next 20 years.
Haringey’s strategic objective is to secure sustainable economic growth, targeting the local growth of technology and digital firms, high-tech and design manufacturing and green technology firms. Developing the local and regional skills infrastructure and closing the STEM skills gap will help create the conditions to attract and support the growth of these key industrial sectors locally.
Preparing young people for the high-skilled advanced economy
In order for young people to take advantage of the opportunities that regeneration and economic growth are creating, we need to drive up participation in, and quality of, local STEM education and the skills infrastructure.
Widening participation in STEM among traditionally under-represented groups of young people is a key objective for the Council and its partners. This includes girls who currently have significantly lower participation rates in STEM based subjects at school, limiting their future career pathway options.
How Haringey is addressing the STEM skills gap
This section highlights some of the key initiatives we are pursuing across the borough, and provides links to find out more detail:
The Haringey STEM Commission
The Haringey STEM Commission was established to examine how Haringey could position itself at the forefront of STEM education. It reported back in the summer of 2016.
The Commission was independent of the Council and chaired by Baroness Morgan of Huyton, chair of the House of Lords Select Committee on Digital Skills. Baroness Morgan was joined on the panel by:
Andrew Harrison – Chief Strategy Officer of Manchester Airport Group
Michael McKenzie – Headteacher of Alexandra Park School in Haringey
Maggie Philbin – CEO and Founder of TeenTech
Robert Peston – Political Editor of ITV News
The Commission not only engaged businesses, experts, school leaders and governors through written submissions and roundtables. Most importantly a Haringey Young STEM Commission was convened through TeenTech to give a voice to our young people and their aspirations to pursue careers in exciting and emerging STEM industries.
The final report of the Commission sets out evidence highlighting the skills shortages and job opportunities in STEM industries, matching this to education attainment and participation in STEM related subjects in Haringey schools. The Commission heard evidence arguing that greater collaboration between schools, business and the local authority is required to strengthen STEM teaching and infrastructure, presenting a series of recommendations including:
The establishment of two centres of STEM teaching excellence in the borough, acting as hubs for improvement, support and professional development.
Appointment of a Haringey STEM Coordinator to open up access to and coordinate STEM activities and extracurricular provision across schools in the borough
The development of a framework of skills and experiences that all children and young people should gain before leaving school
The Commission’s full report can be found here; http://stemcommission.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/HC-1177-STEM-Report-AWv2.pdf
Linking young people with STEM industries
While the Haringey STEM Commission emphasised the importance of schools in developing a wider STEM skills base, Haringey realises that more needs to be done to link our young people with opportunities in STEM industries.
Creating quality post-16 opportunities that support young people into STEM based career pathways
Haringey Council has focussed on improving the diversity and quality of post-16 opportunities for our young people, ensuring they have access to education and training opportunities that will allow them to take advantage of the high- quality careers available in London and beyond.
We have already been successful in attracting new specialist post-16 opportunities in areas where there are current skills gaps:
• Opening of ADA, the National College for Digital Skills, in September 2016 in Tottenham Hale
- http://www.adacollege.org.uk/
The new National College for Digital Skills will provide BTEC Level 3 courses to Sixth Formers as well as 19+ apprenticeships, with a specially tailored curriculum focused on the technical, creative and entrepreneurial skills young people will need to thrive in the digital economy.
• Opening of the Fashion Technology Academy in November 2015, near Haringay Green Lanes http://www.fashioncapital.co.uk/learning/fta
The Fashion Technology Academy includes a range of qualifications at Levels 1 to 4, which cover the entire of the ‘Garment Life Cycle’ including Stitching, Production and Pattern Cutting. Fashion Enter are also one of the largest training providers of Apprenticeships at Levels 3 and 4 within Apparel Manufacturing (fashion) working with employers such as ASOS.com, Marks & Spencer, River Island and House of Fraser.
Employment and Skills Board
In 2015, the Council set up a new partnership board tasked with providing a clear pathway from school to sustained employment. There is a particular focus on preparing young people for 21st century careers, with an emphasis placed on STEM related routes. The Board has a role in providing strategic leadership and challenging partners across the borough in driving activities and outcomes.
The Board brings together senior representatives from a range of sectors that in the past wouldn’t have collaborated in such a setting. It includes senior representatives from the Council, the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, the Department of Work and Pensions, local schools, the North London Chamber of Commerce and Siemens.
Haringey 100 Campaign
The Haringey 100 campaign was launched in March 2015 with £50,000 of funding from the Greater London Authority. It aimed to create 100 apprenticeship opportunities in 100 working days, with a particular focus on STEM based apprenticeship creation. This was delivered in partnership between Haringey Council and the College of Haringey, Enfield & North East London.
Around 20 organisations pledged to take on nearly 120 apprentices as part of the Haringey 100 campaign. One example is Hiremech, an electric vehicle and forklift truck firm based in Tottenham that took on engineering apprenticeships. The Council itself also pledged to take on 20 apprentices, with roles including accounting, IT, digital marketing and website development available.
January 2017