Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Engineering UK's 2018 State of Engineering Report, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of students with a qualification in Design and Technology GCSE to filling the skills gap in engineering.
The design and technology (D&T) GCSE is a useful qualification for those pupils considering a career in engineering. The Department has reformed the D&T GCSE to ensure that it is a valuable qualification and includes the knowledge and skills sought by leading employers. Content has been aligned with high-tech industry practice with strengthened technical, mathematical and scienctific knowledge.
Both Which? and the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service advice on A level choices and degree entry requirements state that an A level qualification in mathematics is essential for any area of engineering, with many universities requiring, or preferring, a second A level in Physics as well.