►
Description
Read the full transcript of this Ministerial Statement in the Scottish Parliament Official Report: https://goo.gl/XjKFHW
A
B
Presiding
officer,
I'm
delighted
to
Lee
before
Parliament,
daya,
STEM,
education,
training
and
strategy
for
Scotland,
which
focuses
on
excellence,
equity
connection
and
inspiration.
Indeed,
only
this
morning,
I
was
privileged,
as
I
have
been
on
a
wide
range
of
visits
in
recent
months
to
Science
Center's
festivals.
Every
year,
Centre,
schools,
colleges
and
universities
to
see
the
inspiration
in
action.
B
I
visited
the
Jimmy
Donaghy
Family
Learning
Center
in
Glasgow,
which
has
established
a
strong
stem
preschool
curriculum
with
hands-on
activities
and
exciting
topics,
and
I
saw
for
myself
how
those
activities
are
capturing
the
imaginations
of
the
centre's
young
learners.
It
was
also
a
great
deal
about
the
partnerships
the
centre
has
forged
with
Strathclyde
University
and
with
the
young
stem
ambassadors
from
local
schools,
one
of
whom
I
had
the
chance
to
meet
on
my
visit.
Enthusing
and
engaging
children
from
earliest
years
in
science,
technology,
engineering
and
mathematics
is
at
the
heart
of
the
center's
activity.
B
It
was
an
absolute
pleasure
to
see
children
exploring
stem
in
all
its
forms,
and
this
work
is
key
to
setting
children
of
all
ages,
both
boys
and
girls
from
a
range
of
backgrounds,
on
a
journey
of
wonder,
to
learn
to
question,
to
experiment,
to
problem-solve,
to
always
ask
why
and
what's
next
with
some
estimate
suggesting
that
65%
of
preschool
children
will
work
in
careers
and
jobs
that
do
not
yet
exist.
Their
future
is
truly
one
of
opportunity.
B
We
must
give
them
and
the
children
I
met
in
Glasgow
today
the
tools
they
need
to
seize
it
presiding
officer.
This
stem
chasity
has
a
clear
focus
and
a
strong
purpose,
quite
simply
to
be
a
nation
with
ambition.
Scotland
must
become
a
stem
nation.
If
we
are
to
realize
the
ambition
set
out
in
our
programme
for
government
to
build
a
modern,
dynamic,
open
economy
which
benefits
everyone
in
Scotland,
we
must
support
everyone
in
Scotland
to
develop
the
STEM
capability
and
skills.
B
All
the
sectors
which
feature
in
our
vision
for
a
high-tech,
low-carbon
economy
have
one
golden
said:
the
old
acquire,
what
forties
stem
lifted,
skills
to
develop
and
to
grow.
This
strategy
has
been
shaped
by
extensive
discussion
and
dialogue.
It
began
with
her
debates
here
in
parliament
marking
the
start
of
formal
consultation
exercise
that
consultation
was
available
online
and
included
a
series
of
events
covering
specific
interests
such
as
education
leaders,
gender
equality
and
business
engagement.
I
also
have
stablished
a
short
life
expert
reference
group
to
provide
support
and
challenge
in
finalizing
the
strategy.
B
This
group
was
co-chaired
by
Professor
Sheila
Darwin,
the
chief
scientific
advisor
for
Scotland,
who
is
here
in
Parliament
today
and
professor
in
hunter
from
Strathclyde
University
I
am
grateful
to
them
and
all
the
members
of
the
reference
group
for
giving
so
generously
of
their
time
and
expertise.
The
strategy
seeks
to
address
four
key
challenges.
They
need
to
ensure
that
people
are
encouraged
to
develop.
B
An
interest
in
stainless
is
reinforced
throughout
their
lives
to
ensure
that
our
education
system
has
the
right
number
of
practitioners
with
the
right
skills
to
deliver
excellent
learning
and
teaching
to
build
the
system
which
equips
people
with
the
skills
that
employers
need
and
has
the
flexibility
to
respond
effectively
to
change
and
to
tackle
the
gender
imbalances
and
other
inequalities
that
exist
across
STEM
education
and
training.
It
does
so
by
focusing
on
four
key
themes
and
names.
First,
we
must
build
the
capacity
of
the
education
and
training
system
to
deliver
excellent
stem
learning.
B
Earlier
this
month,
the
Deputy
First
Minister
announced
a
new
scheme
to
provide
bursaries
for
anyone
changing
career
to
chain.
As
the
same
teacher
from
August
20
1800,
bursaries
of
20,000
pain
will
be
available
for
people
giving
up
an
existing
career
to
undertake
teacher
training
in
STEM
subjects.
The
initial
focus
will
be
on
subjects
where
we
are
currently
experiencing
a
shortage
in
teacher
training,
students,
physics,
mathematics,
technical
education
and
computing
science.
B
We
will
create
a
new
network
of
stem
specialist
advisers
to
work
with
Elias
providers
and
schools
to
ensure
that
the
sharing
of
best
practice
and
emerging
evidence
is
at
the
heart
of
excellence
in
stem
learning
and
teaching.
This
new
network
will
be
operational
by
December,
2018
and
advisors
will
work
with
the
new
regional
improvement
collaboratives
being
established
in
partnership
with
local
governments.
B
As
part
of
our
education
reforms
to
support
stem
and
learning
in
schools,
we
will
continue
to
fund
the
Scottish
Science
Education
Research
Centre,
and
our
partnership
with
the
wid
foundation
on
the
reasoning
aspirations
in
science
education
program
as
well,
and
is
investing
in
new
resources
for
practitioners.
Crucially,
this
will
include
support
for
stem
learning
and
inspiration
in
the
early
years
as
we
expand
early
years
workforce
in
Scotland.
B
It
is
vital
that
we
give
everyone
the
opportunity
to
fulfill
their
staying
potential
and
contribute
to
Scotland's
economic
prosperity.
So
our
second
aim
focuses
on
closing
equity
gaps
in
participation
and
then
attainment
in
stem.
We
will
take
action
to
improve
the
participation
of
underrepresented
groups
in
stem
learning
and
to
tackle
unconscious
bias
in
gender
stereotyping
that
creates
barriers
to
participation,
access
and
attainment.
This
must
start
from
the
earliest
years
onwards
and
be
sustained
right
through
the
education
system
at
all
levels.
B
It
will
include
action
to
tackle
gender
segregation
and
promote
equality
of
opportunity
in
the
early
years,
apprenticeships,
college
and
university
courses.
We
will
work
closely
with
the
qualities
experts
in
the
third
sector
to
create
a
dedicated
team
to
embed
practice
from
the
successful
Institute
of
Physics
gender
balance
project
across
all
skills
by
2022
I've,
already
spoken
of
the
importance
of
inspiring
children,
young
people
and
adults
to
study
stem
and
to
continue
their
studies
to
obtain
more
specialist
skills.
B
The
current
UK
stem
ambassador
program
provides
a
strong
network
of
action
of
support
for
education,
but
we
can
do
more.
We
will
establish
a
new
young
stem
leaders
program
to
stimulate
the
development
of
peer
mentoring
in
stem.
This
will
start
in
2018
and
be
fully
operational
by
2022.
It
will
focus
on
children
and
young
people
who
are
currently
themselves
in
education
to
complement
existing
stem
ambassadors.
B
Earlier
today,
I
announced
funding
of
2.6
2.65
million
pound
to
support
the
work
and
activity
of
scotland's
for
sine
centers
and
I
am
proud
that
we're
the
only
government
in
the
UK
of
Asus
financial
support
design
centers.
They
have
a
key
role
to
play,
not
only
in
inspiring
statement,
children,
young
people
and
adults,
but
also
in
half
helping
to
tackle
inequity.
B
The
fourth
theme
seeks
to
connect
STEM
education
training
offer
with
the
labor
market
needs
both
now
and
in
the
future,
to
increase
collaboration
and
connection.
We
will
create
a
new
stem
hub
network
to
strengthen
regional
level
collaboration
between
partners,
including
universities,
Science
Center's
and
employers.
This
network
will
focus
on
building
partnerships
between
secondary
schools
and
colleges
in
2018
and
broaden
out
to
include
primary
and
early
learning
settings
during
2019.
Of
course,
colleges
and
universities
in
Scotland
are
already
taking
action
to
prioritize
stem
teaching
and
courses.
B
Universities
are
world
leading
and
at
the
cutting
edge
of
research
and
innovation
across
the
spectrum
of
STEM
disciplines.
Our
colleges
increasingly
play
a
central
role
in
coordinating
the
approach
to
stem
across
their
regions
and
with
partners,
including
businesses
and
employers,
to
deliver
our
hymn
of
increasing
Modern
Apprenticeship
stars
to
30,000.
We
will
build
on
a
solid
foundation
in
series.
B
We
will
increase
the
number
of
college
and
university
student
placements
with
employers
and
stem
curriculum
areas,
increase
the
number
of
graduates
and
post
qualification
internships
offered
with
the
same
employers
and
to
complement
the
approach
being
taken
through
developing
the
young
workforce
program
to
improve
careers
and
guidance
from
3
to
18.
We
will
ensure
that
college
and
university
students
have
access
to
the
best
advice
and
guidance
about
STEM
careers,
but
we
must
also
challenge
our
institutions
to
go
further
faster.
We
invest
in
our
colleges
and
universities
with
confidence,
but
an
ever
more
competitive
global
economy.
B
We
must
look
to
them
to
work
with
us
and
partners
in
industry
to
ensure
that
their
curricular
offer
to
students
and
support
for
researchers
means
what
a
leading
and
always
current
presiding
officer,
this
STEM
education
and
training
strategy
first,
and
is
deliberately
bold
and
ambitious.
It
has
a
five
year,
life
tank
from
2017
until
2022
and
delivery
starts
now
that
focus
on
delivery
must
be
related
to
us.
So
we
will
measure
progress
in
success,
two
key
performance
indicators.
What
can
developing
these
has
begun
and
they
will
be
published
by
the
end
of
the
year.
B
I
will
also
chair
an
implementation
group
involving
expert
external
advice
to
drive
forward
delivery.
That
group
will
produce
annual
to
put
some
progress
and
provide
these
to
Parliament.
I
am
confident
that,
through
the
actions
in
this
strategy,
we
can
unlock
the
opportunities
the
future
holds
for
all
of
Scotland
to
flourish
and
thrive
and
become
a
stem
nation,
presiding
officer.
This
is
not
the
Scottish
government
strategy,
not
even
that
of
the
Scottish
Parliament,
though
I
hope.
All
members
and
parliamentary
groups
will
support
it.
B
A
C
Eating
officer
can
I
thank
the
Minister
for
prior
sight
of
her
statement
and
broadly
welcomed
the
measures
that
she's
announced,
although
I
have
to
say
it
should
be
noted
that
some
of
the
conclusions
and
recommendations
are
exactly
the
same
as
those
that
were
contained
in
the
sea
Agri
port
five
years
ago
in
2012,
which
suggests
that
progress
has
been
painfully
slow.
I
read
I
like
to
ask
the
Minister
a
couple
of
things.
C
Firstly,
in
2015
the
Royal
Society
of
Chemistry
made
the
call
to
have
specialist
science
teachers
and
primary
schools
on
the
back
of
evidence
that
they
had
collected,
which
suggested
that
primaries
four
to
seven
were
the
best
ages
to
capture
the
imagination
of
young
people.
When
it
came
to
science,
the
Scottish
government
rejected
that
call
on
grounds
of
cost,
but
it
is
obviously
since
finding
money
to
support
bursaries
for
graduates
who
might
be
persuaded
into
teaching
from
other
professions.
C
Could
I
ask
the
Scottish
Government
if
it
will
no
commit
to
a
program
whereby
a
proportion
that
bursary
support
we're
going
to
sign
specialism
in
primary
schools?
And
secondly,
the
minister
is
clearly
very
well
aware
of
recent
sqa
trains
in
stem.
She
will
know
that
in
20
2007
there
were
50,000
231
sqa
hire
entries
in
stem
and
that
there
was
a
pleasing
increase
in
numbers,
250
4618
in
2013,
with
the
new
hires
program.
C
However,
the
entries
for
2016
were
only
40
1054
and
for
the
same
period,
the
number
of
stem
teachers
in
secondary
schools
fell
from
six
thousand
and
thirty
seven
to
five
thousand
864.
Does
the
minister
accept
that,
notwithstanding
recent
demographic
trends,
this
reduction
in
stem
teacher
numbers
is
a
serious
part
of
the
subject,
choice
issue,
which
partly
explains
why
insufficient
pupils
are
studying
same
subjects
at
higher
level.
B
I
thank
Liz
Smith
for
those
questions
and
can
I
take
it
up
on
on
one
point:
what
I
would
disagree
with
and
that's
the
focus
on
saying
that
they
am
the
idea
of
the
best
time
to
inspire
young
people
is
between
primary
four
and
seven
I
was
in
an
early
years
setting
this.
This
morning
it
was
children
aged
4
to
5
that
were
utterly
engaged
unenthused
in
stem
and
the
head
teacher
there.
B
It
was
very,
very
keen
to
press
upon
the
fact
that
we
need
to
start
at
that
stage,
not
wait
until
primary
four
and
that's
in
many
ways
because
of
the
research
was
shown,
particularly
for
young
girls.
That
say
that
by
the
age
of
seven
they
already
think.
What's
a
boys
object
and
what's
a
ghetto
subject
so
I
think
primarily
for
is
actually
already
to
eat
and
we've
lost
some
young
people.
To
that.
B
That's
why
we
went
along
the
process
that
we
have
when
it
comes
to
the
number
of
young
people
taking
STEM
subjects,
and
she
is
right
to
point
out
to
the
fact
that
the
school
cohort
is
falling
in
a
thwart,
a
six
cohorts
and
between
2010
and
2016
has
fallen
by
5.6
percent
and
that
doesn't
some.
We
explained
some
of
the
statistics
that
I
understand.
We
are
seeing
in
13.4%,
more
young
people
in
passing
the
full
range
of
stem
hires
between
2017
compared
to
2007,
so
we're
seeing
progress.
B
But
the
point
of
the
strategy
is
it's
not
enough
and
that's
exactly
why
we're
putting
in
into
place
today
this
schemes
that
we
are
to
encourage
more
young
people
into
this
system
choices
and
within
curriculum
for
excellence.
Of
course,
when
we're
looking,
particularly
at
the
senior
fees,
we
do
need
to
look
at
the
senior
fees
within
the
three
years
and
now
allowing
schools
to
have
a
subject
choices
and
a
curriculum.
E
You
presiding
officer,
the
minister,
will
get
no
argument
from
us
that
Scotland
must
be,
as
it
historically
has
been
esteem
nation.
So
a
strategy
to
achieve
this
is
certainly
welcome.
The
question
is:
is
it
urgent
or
bold
enough?
Most
methods
right
since
2007,
we've
lost
over
800
stem
teachers
from
her
schools
and
enrolment
in
pass
rates
in
recent
years,
and
STEM
subjects
have
not
just
fallen
a
higher
level,
but
at
national
four
and
five
levels.
To
meanwhile
stem
teacher
training
places
like
unfilled
and
math
saloon.
Universities
have
fell
fewer
than
half
of
the
available
places.
E
Now
we
have
long
argued
for
bursaries
for
STEM
trainee
teachers
as
an
incentive,
so
those
are
names
are
very
welcome,
but
can
the
minister
explain
why
they
are
only
for
career
changers?
We
urgently
need
new
physics,
maths
and
computer
science
graduates
to
choose
teaching.
They
need
to
be
incentivized
as
well.
The
truth
is,
though,
as
long
as
her
teachers
are
among
the
purest
speed
and
most
overworked
in
the
world,
the
profession
will
not
attract
the
same
talent
that
we
need.
E
B
Was
Ian
Lee?
Well
knows,
the
teacher
P
is
negotiated
through
the
Scottish
National
Committee
for
teachers
made
up
from
local
government
unions
in
the
Scottish
government.
Those
discussions
are
ongoing.
The
Scottish
government
is
playing
its
part
in
that
process.
A
man
is
committed
to
securing
an
outcome
for
that
and
the
Deputy
First
Minister
has
said
many
times
as
commitment
to
tackle
teacher
what
clued
him
and
has
demonstrated
that
with
an
his
tying
him
in
his
paws,
particularly
around
a
knot
force
in
that
fight.
B
We've
invested
88
million
pounds
so
that
every
school
can
access
the
right
numbers
of
teachers
and
this
year
alone
we're
working
with
local
authorities
to
increase
the
teacher
numbers
and
do
see
an
additional
253
this
year
with
increasing
funding
and
places
to
our
universities
to
recruit
teacher
trainers
and
are
teaching
new
new
ways
for
individuals
to
get
involved
with
in
teaching.
Now
we
have
seen,
unfortunately,
that
some
of
those
places
have
not
been
filled,
but
when
the
figures
are
produced
at
the
end
of
next
month.
B
B
A
D
B
Already
seeing
strengthening
partnerships
between
schools
and
colleges
and
employers
increasing
those
opportunities
for
young
people
to
take
undertake
what
placements,
through
the
world
of
work
and
the
d
YW
program,
that's
including
I,
grow
number
of
apprenticeships
foundation,
apprenticeships
that
already
started
school
as
well
as
modern
and
graduate
apprenticeships.
We
will
build
on
this,
however,
through
the
work
that
we're
doing
in
the
same
strategy
that
I
discussed
that
I'm
the
new
work
network
for
stem
hubs.
B
That's
gonna
be
very,
very
important
to
link
secondary
schools
and
colleges
in
this
first
instance
before
broadening
out
to
wider
collaboration,
and
it
is
important
when
we
get
the
different
sections
of
the
education
system
working
coherent
lis
together
it
to
build
inspiration
to
build
enthusiasm
with
an
M
stem
and
ensure
that
more
young
people
not
only
takes
them
within
school.
But
anger
want
to
take
it
within
college
university
in
or
an
apprenticeship
and
get
involved
in
the
same
clear.
G
You
presiding
officer
in
February
2017
as
part
of
the
Scottish
government
strategy
to
encourage
greater
uptake
in
stem
it
recommended
that
stem
graduates
would
be
able
to
undertake
postgraduate
courses
at
the
same
time
as
undertaking
the
probationary
teaching
course
can.
I,
therefore,
ask
the
minister
how
many
graduates
to
cop
that
option
in
the
academic
year,
2017
18,
and
what
plans
the
Scottish
government
has
to
extend
it.
B
Is
there
a
commitment
to
look
at
a
wide
variety
of
different
options
to
allow
people
to
come
in
to
STEM
subjects
and
system
teaching
from
different
variations?
One
of
the
challenges
I've
had
when
I'm
going
about
on
my
visits
is
to
encourage
people
on
the
first
debris
that
may
never
have
thought
about
taking
em
teaching
as
a
profession
and
I've
seen
some
example:
excellent
examples
in
the
University
of
Glasgow,
and
particularly
our
own
computing
science
of
those
that
are,
in
the
first
degree
moving
and
today,
I'm
teaching,
which
is
a
particular
a
challenging
area.
H
You
officer
I
remind
members
I'm
the
PLO
for
education.
Can
the
minister
explained
how
the
Scottish
government
will
support
external
organisations
in
linking
the
same
strategy
to
curriculum
for
excellence,
particularly
with
regard
to
the
experiences
and
outcomes
contained
in
the
science
curriculum
area?
No.
D
B
One
of
the
great
opportunities
I
think
we
have
within
stem
and
encouraging
interaction
with
stem
is
the
great
deal
of
goodwill
from
businesses
from
employers
and
the
private
sector
who
want
to
get
involved
in
what's
happening
within
our
schools,
colleges
and
university
I
want
to
bring
that
expertise
and
inspiration
into
the
school
setting.
The
challenge
we
have
perhaps
at
the
moment
is
there's
a
plethora
of
great
ideas
out
there
are
many
of
them
are
in
the
senior
fees
and
those
that
are
already
interested
in
stem,
rather
than
a
primary
school,
or
even
indeed
early
years.
B
So
one
of
the
aspects
that
the
strategy
will
look
at
as
education,
Scotland
and
we'll
bring
all
that
plethora
it
together
bring
it
into
a
can
a
collaboration.
We
are
teachers
and
educators.
It
can
look
at
what's
relevant
to
the
area
of
colliculus
for
excellence
that
they
are
already
or
about
to
teach
their
class
and
see
which
project
is
most
beneficial
to
them.
I
Strategy
gives
key
responsibilities
to
skills
development
Scotland
for
improving
gender
equality
into
STEM
careers,
given
that
last
year
only
40
percent
of
any
starts
were
women
and
that
figure
has
declined
since
2012.
Is
it
right
put
such
confidence
in
SDS,
and
is
she
proud
of
that
track
record
the
SDS
has
and
apprenticeships
in
his
name,
Minister.
D
B
Think
one
of
the
issues
we
do
have
to
face
up
to
it
is
that
we
have
challenges
with
the
number
of
young
women
that
are
taking
stem
substation
skills,
apprenticeships
and
college
courses,
university
courses
and
those
are
facts
that
we
we
do
have
to
look
at
very
realistically
to
see
how
we
want
to
tackle
them.
Msds
is
doing
a
great
deal
of
work,
particularly
around
paper
ships
it
to
encourage
employers
to
see
the
benefit
of
taking
on
only
not
only
more
apprenticeships
but
more
women
apprenticeships,
and
that
work
is
ongoing.
B
It's
a
challenge
that
we're
all
going
to
have
to
face
in
all
the
way
through
that
we
see
young
women
in
decreasing
in
their
interest
within
stem
as
they
go
on
to
specialize
in
different
areas.
Sds
will
have
to
face
up
to
the
stones,
just
like
the
Scottish
funding
Council
will
have
to
in
our
universities
and
our
colleges,
but
they're
well
up
for
that
challenge.
B
B
The
entry
requirements
for
initial
teacher
education
are
set
by
the
general
teaching
Council
for
Scotland
the
provision
for
the
general
teaching
Council
to
award
computer
graduates.
Provisional
registration
and
dual
subjects
already
exists,
providing
that
the
student
meets
the
entity
requirements
for
teacher
education,
which
state
that
the
initial
degree
should
have
sufficient
content
of
the
subjects
that
will
be
taught
from
August
2017.
B
Further
flexibility
for
dual
registration
has
been
created
so
that
probationers,
who
hold
or
who
are
working
towards
a
teaching,
qualification
and
two
subjects
can
I
like
to
do
so
their
probation
year
and
both
subjects
thereby
successfully
gaining
the
standard
for
full
registration
in
both
subjects.
This
includes
combinations
of
STEM
subjects,
including
computing
and
math
cross.
K
You
in
regards
to
the
recently
announced
bursaries,
I
precess,
the
retin
question
on
whether
a
qualification
will
depend
on
the
industry
the
individual
worked
in
and
for
how
long
they
must
have
been
in
the
workforce
to
be
eligible.
The
Deputy
First
Minister
confirmed
the
eligibility
will
not
be
based
on
the
industry,
and
the
ministers
confirm
that
it
will
be
based
on
qualification,
but
Kiera
confirmed
for
how
long
an
individual
must
have
been
in
the
workplace
to
qualify
as
a
career
changer,
and
why
the
government
believes
that
to
be
the
correct
criteria.
B
Well,
more
than
happy
to
to
speak
to
roster
further
about
his
suggestions
about
how
the
paucity,
well,
what
going
to
be,
has
particular
issues,
concerns
or
suggestions,
I,
don't
particularly
areas
and
we're
more
than
happy
to
look
at
that.
As
we
progress
into
the
detail,
the
important
aspect
about
the
scheme
is
to
and
try
and
encourage
more
individuals
and
from
a
variety
of
of
em
stem
industries
to
bring
that
stem
experience
and
that
work-life
experience
it
directly
into
the
classrooms
and
of
mr.
L
B
Well,
as
I
said
in
my
answer
to
other
members
there,
the
Scottish
Government
is
undertaking
a
range
of
different
initiatives
to
deal
with
the
challenges
that
we
have
around
teacher
recruitment
particular
around
some
areas,
the
bursaries
that
I've
just
spoken
to
mr.
Glee
about
it
was
one
of
them.
If
mister
rumbles
would
like
to
take
the
same
positive
attitude
that
mr.
Glee,
so
what
was
the
government
on
positive
suggestions
have
been
more
than
happy
to
hear
that
Julian.
M
Someone
who
taught
a
technology
subject
to
Fe
level
up
until
last
year,
the
warmly
welcome
statement
on
stem
strategy.
Today,
Minister
will
be
aware
of
the
economy
committee's
recent
report
on
the
gender
pay
gap.
Can
she
outline
how
the
stem
strategy
will
help
her
Gen
address,
causing
the
gender
pay
gap,
given
that
STEM
sectors
are
generally
better
paid,
the
most
and
they're
still
stubbornly
gender
segregated.
B
Julian
Martin
Martin
Macy's
a
very
important
point
that
we
know
would
not
only
look
at
what
happens
within
school
and
the
education
system,
but
what
happens
in
when
young
people,
particularly
young
women,
force
within
stem
industries?
Scotland's
full-time
gender
pick
up
at
6.6
percent.
It
remains
below
that
of
the
UK
and
is
marginally
higher
than
year
before.
We
have
come
a
long
way,
however,
but
not
far
enough.
So
mrs.
B
Martin
should
be
assured
that
equality
for
women
is
at
the
heart
of
the
Scottish
Government's
vision
for
an
equal
Scotland
and
our
program
for
government
obviously
contains
a
number
of
commitments
for
progressing,
including
legislating
for
gender
balance
on
public
boards
and
confirming
the
full
membership
of
our
Advisory
Council
on
women
and
girls.
We'll
continue
to
keep
pushing
for
further
progress
and
taking
decisive
action
to
tackle
the
drivers
of
the
pay
gap
well,
power
over
flexible
working,
including
parental
leave,
and
peer
as
after
the
UK
government.
N
You
presiding
officer,
according
to
you,
at
skills,
development
Scotland
in
2015,
2016,
only
79
of
the
1458
young
people,
starting
engineering,
an
energy
energy
related
modern
apprenticeships
of
female
in
2016
2017.
That
number
had
fallen,
20
67
of
1185,
that's
just
over
five
percent
of
those
young
people,
starting
engineering
and
energy,
related
mon
mentorships
being
female.
Can
the
minister
tell
us
what
real
progress
she
is
aiming
for
over
the
course
of
this
Parliament
in
terms
of
the
number
of
young
women
starting
engineering
and
energy-related
modern
apprenticeships?.
D
B
I've
already
said
an
answer
to
a
previous
question.
This
is
something
which
MSDS
is
looking
at
in
great
detail.
We
have
a
agenda
action
plan
that
sets
out
the
work
that
they'll
be
doing
within
the
within
their
work
within
apprenticeships,
and
we're
also
seeing
then
that
action
plans
for
this
corresponding
council
and
their
universities
and
colleges
to
tackle
that
the
gender
gap
that
they
have
within
some
of
their
STEM
subjects.
B
B
Part
of
the
way
that
we're
also
looking
to
do
that
is
through
careers
advice
and
the
opportunities
that
are
presented
to
get
us
when
they're
still
at
school,
both
in
terms
of
their
subject,
choice
and
when
they're
looking
at
avenues
and
opportunities
and
to
take
up
apprenticeships,
particularly
with
engineering,
it
may
not
be.
The
first
thing
it
will
be
presented
to
them
may
not
also
be
something
in
which
other
influencers,
including
impairments
and
families,
and
other
teachers
may
present
to
them
as
a
positive
option.
B
So
we
have
a
challenge
to
take
corn
in
inspiring
only
young
girls
to
take
part,
but
also
I,
think
for
families
and
for
educators
to
see
the
real
opportunities
that
women
can
have
when
they
take
those
course
he's
on.
That's
why
the
the
work
that
I
talked
about
around
him
careers
advice
and
ensuring
that
careers
advice
between
3
and
18
ensures
that
we're
looking
at
the
advice
that
young
women
are
getting,
including
among
the
apprenticeship
offers
that
they
take
within
engineering
and.
O
In
briefly,
been
refreshed,
thank
you
for
saying
officer,
like
others.
I
warmly
welcome
the
fact
that
the
strategy
sees
training
and
recruiting
new
stem
teachers
as
a
priority.
However,
inspiring
young
people
into
stem
will
also
be
key.
Therefore,
can
I
ask
the
minister
to
see
more
about
the
young
stem
Leaders
program
and
how
that
initiative
will
be
taken
forward,
especially
to
engage
young
people
from
the
private
communities
Minister
well,.