Working with employers to develop statistical skills across the workplace and so build stronger businesses…
We want employers in targeted industries and sectors to understand more about the role of statistical skills across all levels of a confident, high performing workforce. We also want to provide employers and employees with pathways to those skills and to their professional recognition.
Identifying needs
In June 2011, the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (ACME)’s ‘Mathematical Needs’ research reported on case studies which showed a real need for stronger statistical skills in the workplace. It also highlighted the need for:
- recruits with skills over and above those that they may actually use in their core work (employers need their workforce staff to think on their feet, with skills to resolve problems in new/unfamiliar situations as they arise )
- new recruits who, whatever pathway they follow before embarking on paid/full-time employment, have continued to develop quantitative skills after GCSE Maths at school, on an apprenticeship or at university (employers are concerned that too many new recruits have done very little quantitative study since taking GCSE Maths).
None of the employers interviewed advocated a diet of work-related techniques learning in school and at HE but were encouraging more applications-driven experience of stats in the classroom so that new recruits could confidently apply themselves to workplace situations in a way which demonstrated real understanding
How can getstats help?
In education: we are working with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and social sciences partners (including the ESRC, Nuffield Foundation and British Academy) to find ways of embedding statistics in the sciences and social sciences level 3 (beyond GCSE) curriculum. Also to develop new pathways for students for whom A-level Maths is not the right option.
In the workplace: an RSS Centre for Statistical Education-developed Audit Tool will be ready to roll out in early Summer 2012. This new web-based self audit tool will identify the level of statistical knowledge and skills in the workplace and create a platform from which interventions and a tailored curriculum can be developed.
How can you help?
Join a getstats Employers Forum: the CBI and Institute of Directors are already represented on the Campaign’s advisory board. We are keen to create a wider community of employer-advisers who can provide practical support to the campaign and help us to achieve the campaign’s goals.
Partner getstats: we want to hear from employers interested in working with us on developing a case study/ies from an initial audit to a programme of tailored interventions. The case studies will be monitored for their effect on workforce confidence and performance and wider business impact.
Please contact getstats@rss.org.uk if you would like to hear more.
Promoting dialogue
The RSS Statistics User Forum brings together official statistics users and producers from all sectors to maximise the benefits from data.
