More than 50 delegates from over 20 universities joined employers, recruiters and professional bodies at International Students House, London, for the 8th Joint SEPnet and WRIPA Employability Workshop. Chaired by SEPnet Chair Professor Sir William Wakeham, the event explored whether the perceived gap between STEM demand and STEM supply reflects reality, rhetoric, or a wider recruitment challenge. Bringing together evidence, industry insight and lived experience, participants examined the factors influencing graduate employment outcomes and considered how universities and employers can work together to better support STEM graduates entering the workforce.
The workshop opened with presentations from Professor Samantha Pugh (University of Leeds) and Tim Wise (Research Director, High Fliers Research), who set the scene by exploring physics careers, graduate skills and emerging evidence on graduate employment outcomes. Their talks highlighted both the significant value employers place on physics graduates and the paradox that many students still experience lengthy and challenging job searches despite reported demand for STEM talent.
Employer and recruiter perspectives were provided by Bethan McAulay, Talent Lead at Astroscale, and Ewan MacPhie, Director of Lynk. Bethan shared insights into workforce needs within the rapidly growing space sector and discussed the importance of attracting talent from a broad range of backgrounds. Ewan drew on his experience as a recruiter to offer practical advice on navigating the graduate recruitment process, highlighting aspects of job hunting and career development that are often not formally taught within higher education.
The afternoon sessions brought personal and sector perspectives from Dr Jimi Harrold of CGI and Fred Wilson, Chief Scientific Officer at VOXIMETRY. Jimi reflected on his own journey from physics student to data scientist, highlighting the challenges that talented graduates can face when seeking to secure their first role. Fred encouraged attendees to consider whether the issue is not a lack of technical ability, but rather the importance employers place on professional behaviours, communication skills and workplace readiness alongside academic achievement.
Throughout the day, discussion sessions provided opportunities for delegates to share experiences, challenge assumptions and explore the complexities of today's graduate labour market. Representatives from universities, employers, professional bodies and industry sectors including space, healthcare, engineering, energy and technology contributed to lively conversations on recruitment practices, skills development and employability.
The workshop concluded with a discussion of key themes and next steps led by Professor Sir William Wakeham. While there was no single answer to the question posed by the workshop title, there was broad agreement that the relationship between STEM demand and STEM supply is more nuanced than headline narratives suggest. Stronger collaboration between universities and employers, clearer articulation of transferable skills, and a better understanding of recruitment processes were all identified as important factors in helping STEM graduates successfully transition into rewarding careers.
The workshop programme, including hyperlinks to the speaker presentations, can be accessed here.
