New Scientist Live
Our industry is changing faster than at any time in our lifetime. Demand for energy is set to increase by a third to 2040 as prosperity increases and the global population rises, with renewables the fastest growing energy source the world has seen.
And it has never been more important to provide all this energy in a safe and reliable way. The energy challenges and opportunities are so great that they require a spirit of purpose and invention from the brightest minds.
The latest EngineeringUK State of Engineering report indicates that there is an annual demand for at least 124,000 engineers and technicians with core engineering skills, and an additional 79,000 roles that require some engineering knowledge and skills alongside other skill sets. Worryingly, there is an annual shortfall of up to 59,000 engineering graduates and technicians to fill these roles and almost half of engineering companies say that a shortage of skilled people is already having a significant impact on their productivity and growth.
Not enough young people are choosing STEM, which is why bp has been working to address the STEM skills gap through targeted investment at all levels of education. Our early STEM initiatives began as a teaching resource that has since grown into a comprehensive programme contributing to every stage of education, including early years, primary, secondary, tertiary and vocational.
Watch our show highlights
We have worked in partnership with the New Scientist magazine for several years. Last year we included a five-part series featuring people within bp that are working to advance low carbon. In the first of the series, New Scientist magazine put the spotlight on Kathrina Mannion, then director of bp's Advancing Low Carbon programme.
To complement our stand, we commissioned four features in the New Scientist magazine and website in the lead up to the show. The first article talked about the research underpinning all of our STEM education work to develop the next generation of talent, and the next three featured a range of bp employees talking about their careers and the choices they made around STEM skills.