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School students favour STEM over creative subjects, according to brand-new research exploring how to prepare young people for future careers in the world of AI.
Dukes Plus, a leading education consultancy firm, has analysed what students are currently learning to find how it aligns with predictions for the future job market.
In a Dukes Education survey asking 1,000 school students which subjects they most enjoy, over four in 10 chose STEM lessons, including computer science, biology and maths.
Humanities topics were second favourite, but creative subjects, like art, music, and drama, were the least popular — only chosen by a quarter of school students.
The interest in STEM seemingly continues into further education, with online monthly searches for ‘computer science A level’ seeing a 21% year-on-year increase.
This popularity is a positive sign as STEM careers are estimated to grow in importance due to a greater need for climate change specialists, digital skills and medical staff in the future.
However, further research suggests that school resources are not fulfilling this growing demand for STEM studies — nearly nine in 10 parents said their children’s schools needed more high-quality maths and science teachers in a recent report.
A greater focus on STEM at school will be critical for filling the already-present green skills shortage, which ranges from a scientific understanding of the natural world to clean energy engineering skills.
Although global demand for green skills has risen by 40% since 2015, only 13% of the labour workforce has the necessary skills, according to the World Economic Forum.
While creative subjects were the least popular, creative industries are reportedly the third largest employers of STEM graduates and hire many humanities graduates.
Humanities subjects can also provide young people with various soft skills, like resilience, communication, and empathy, which will prepare students for many job types. Soft skills are also likely to become coveted as jobs require the human qualities that AI can’t provide.
Alison Bissell, Director of Dukes Plus Consultancy, said: “More than ever before, students are asking us how they can “future-proof” their educational route. They’re keen to minimise the risk of their future degree being gazumped by a job market transformed by AI.
“The demand for Computer Science courses, particularly at the undergraduate level, is entirely out of sync with availability, whereas the Humanities “stock” is low.
“Whilst speculation around the skills gap of the future gets us so far, we’re fundamentally here to help students cut through the chatter, and make bold educational decisions that leverage their strengths, open up possibilities, and give rise to a satisfying career.”
