15 Mar A fifth of East Anglian students don’t feel smart enough to pursue a career in science
The UK is awash with pioneers when it comes to cutting edge science, with no fewer than 10 Nobel Laureate winners over the past 10 years alone*. Yet, the UK is facing a major black hole in science, running the risk of falling behind the rest of the world unless the matter is addressed.
A new study by Roche, a leader in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics which employs more than 90,000 people globally, looks at the reasons why students are turning their backs on science. The research reveals that whilst 91% of teenagers aged 14 to 18 from East Anglia, said they enjoy science classes, less than a quarter (24%) would consider a career in the field of science, such as medicine, research and pharmaceuticals.
The study also found that while 92% of children say that science is “fun”, interest drops into a black hole when it comes to turning that enjoyment into a career choice – even though nearly all children surveyed (99%) believe that studying the subject would lead to great job opportunities.
The reasons for this huge fall in interest seems to be complex. Almost a fifth (18%) of kids say they feel they are not bright enough to pursue a career in science. On top of this, nearly half (49%) say there are not even going to university because they can’t afford it and it’s not worth the debt.
