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Institute for Employment Research National Guidance Research Forum

Guide to STEM LMI resources

Where can I find STEM LMI?

The following are some selected resources where you can find out more about STEM sectors and the labour market. This guide is only designed to point you in the right direction, as you start to carry out your own research you build up your own list of resources and sources of information.

National Guidance Research Forum (NGRF) website

The LMI future trends section of the NGRF website has information on 25 sectors and broad occupational areas. The information has been composed from a range of high quality sources, thus ensuring that it is up-to-date, reliable and impartial. It brings together key research and information from leading datasets, linking to full texts and leading organisations in the sectors. Each sector includes:

  • Sector information – sector profile, skills gaps and shortages, future employment and drivers
  • Regional and national dimension – what’s happening in your area
  • Occupations – job information, salary levels and occupational demands
  • Equal opportunity issues – key statistics, issues and challenges
  • Education and training – qualification profile, education and training opportunities
  • Links and sources – hyperlinks to the full texts and additional resource

Relevant to STEM there is LMI on:

In addition you may be interested in the following that are linked to the core STEM sectors:

National STEM Centre

The National STEM Centre provides the UK's largest accessible physical library of resource materials to support the teaching and learning of science, design and technology, engineering and mathematics. On-line it provides a range of resource materials, including regional STEM LMI.

EngineeringUK

EngineeringUK is an independent, not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to promote the contribution that engineers, and engineering and technology, make to our society. It supports people at all levels to pursue careers in engineering and technology. The organisation works with partners across business and industry, education and skills, the professional engineering institutions, the Engineering Council and the wider science and engineering communities. It was previously known as the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB).

EngineeringUK regularly produces a report on the state of the engineering sector in the UK. It includes a range of up-to-date statistics and information on the sector and outlines factors that will influence and change the sector in the future. The latest report can be downloaded here: Engineering UK 2011. The State of UK Engineering (EngineeringUK, 2011). A range of other LMI is published which may be of interest, some examples include:

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs)

The Sector Skills Councils are independent, employer-led organisations which support the development of sector workforce the skills and productivity of their sector's workforce. There are 22 SSCs each representing different parts of the UK labour market. It is there remit to collect labour market intelligence, influence the development of qualifications and apprenticeships that impact on the delivery of training throughout the UK. Sector Skills Councils representing STEM, include:

  • SEMTA - for science, engineering and manufacturing technologies
  • e-skills UK - for business and Information Technology
  • Cogent - for the chemicals, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymers
  • Proskills - for the Process and Manufacturing Sector
  • Skills for Health - the health sector

Each of the SSCs produce labour market intelligence reports of their sector, some recent examples include:

Professional bodies and associations


There are a range of STEM professional bodies and associations that specialise in specific parts of the STEM sectors. These can often be a good source of information and up-to-date news on the sector. Some examples are listed:

Other agencies

There are also a range of international and governmental agencies that produce LMI on the STEM sectors. Some reports that focus on STEM in the current labour market and how to support growth in the sectors are listed:

The following are research reports and labour market forescasts:

Where can I find out more?

The following websites provide more information on the STEM sectors, offering something other than statistics! These sites offer information in a range of formats case studies, podcasts and interactive games aimed a wide ranging audience.

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