Students are deserting science subjects in their droves. Urgent remedial action is required, argues Brendan Butler.Exam preview: Science
As students prepare to sit science-related exams, there is growing concern among the business community that Ireland may soon face a significant skills shortage due to the fall-off in demand by students for such subjects.
The numbers who take science-related subjects in the Leaving Cert are relatively small and declining. In 2002 fewer than 12 per cent of students were enrolled in chemistry and 15.6 per cent in physics. Compare this to 1990, when 16 per cent took chemistry and 20 per cent physics.
And demographic changes show that the number sitting the Leaving Cert is falling.
The problem doesn't stop there. This fall-off, coupled with the relatively poor perception of the high-tech industry, means fewer people are taking computing/engineering courses at third level. In 2001, 9,423 students ranked such a course as their first preference on their CAO application. This year the number had fallen to 7,736, marking a decline of 18 per cent.
Not surprisingly, the high-tech sector is extremely concerned at this fall-off. There is an absolute belief that the industry throughout the world will, in the not-too-distant future, experience an upturn in demand - and it is vital that Ireland can meet this improved environment. But the decline in science at all levels could seriously undermine the future of the sector here.
Almost 100,000 are employed in the sector in Ireland and exports accounted for €31 billion in 2002. Of the 10 major software companies in the world, seven have substantial operations here. One of the major reasons for their choice of Ireland as a base is our reputation for having a young, well-educated workforce with high IT skills. This competitive advantage is in danger of being eroded and we must take action now if we are to retain our attractiveness as a location of choice.
The public perception that the sector is in crisis does not stand up to objective analysis. While this is a challenging period, with a heavy focus on cost containment and job freezes in some companies, there are positive signs on the horizon. In the last three months some of the world's largest high-tech companies have announced major additional investments in Ireland. These companies include Google, Overture, Xilinx, SAP, IBM and Accenture. And given the planned opening of Intel's Fab 24 plant next year, perhaps it is time to say with some degree of confidence that the sector has turned the corner.
Last week the ICT Ireland graduate placement programme, in association with the Institution of Engineers of Ireland, was launched. Over 25 ICT companies have come together to offer some 150 job placements for a minimum of six months to unemployed high-tech graduates. Full details of the programme are available from www.ictireland.ie
However, while the industry is trying to address the problem in a positive and proactive manner, the same cannot be said of the Government. The lack of commitment on implementing the recommendations from the recent task force report on the physical sciences represents a retrograde step and undermines the Government's policy of marketing Ireland as a knowledge-based society. We all have to acknowledge the difficulties with public finances but a number of low-cost initiatives suggested in the report must be implemented:
Three key recommendations have been identified:
Make science a core curriculum requirement at Junior Cert level.
Introduce innovation in teaching and learning by exploiting the potential of new technologies.
Ensure equity in the grading of physical science subjects.
The high-tech sector is crucial to Ireland's ongoing economic success. It is vital that we take steps now to address the looming skills shortage and ensure that Ireland can benefit from the inevitable upturn in the IT sector.
Brendan Butler is director of ICT Ireland; he can be contacted at brendan.butler@ictireland.ie