Project overview
This project explored skills gaps for UK graduates as they transition
into software engineering and data science roles within industry and the public
sector. Drawing on qualitative data from 26 interviews with employers, recent
graduates and industry stakeholders, we analysed perceptions of the skills
graduates bring as well as skill gaps, and the causes of these gaps. Our findings
did not reveal substantial technical skills gaps. Employers felt that widely
applicable technical skills in coding and good foundations in maths and science
were well represented in recruits. However, those technical skills developed
through practical experience were less present. Employers were more concerned
about the gaps they perceived in recruits’ professional skills: communication,
teamwork, project management and commercial awareness were seen to be
lacking. While large employers were able to address skill gaps, small and medium-
sized enterprises (SMEs) had more constrained resources, meaning they struggled
to provide training, making workforce readiness more challenging in this vital part
of the sector
into software engineering and data science roles within industry and the public
sector. Drawing on qualitative data from 26 interviews with employers, recent
graduates and industry stakeholders, we analysed perceptions of the skills
graduates bring as well as skill gaps, and the causes of these gaps. Our findings
did not reveal substantial technical skills gaps. Employers felt that widely
applicable technical skills in coding and good foundations in maths and science
were well represented in recruits. However, those technical skills developed
through practical experience were less present. Employers were more concerned
about the gaps they perceived in recruits’ professional skills: communication,
teamwork, project management and commercial awareness were seen to be
lacking. While large employers were able to address skill gaps, small and medium-
sized enterprises (SMEs) had more constrained resources, meaning they struggled
to provide training, making workforce readiness more challenging in this vital part
of the sector
