INDUSTRY

The UK government is investing over £4 million in a new facility to help tackle the problem of the UK economy losing out because too few women with science qualifications are either entering or returning to science, engineering and technology sectors. The new UK Resource Centre aims to: * Support, advising and working with SET employers and professional bodies, sharing good practice * Develop a recognition scheme for good SET employers -- Sharing good employment practice for women in SET * Maintain and disseminating UK gender statistics * Support SET returners * Raise the profile of Women in SET * Set up and run an expert Women in SET database * Pump priming innovation and providing bursaries for speakers * Coordinating the work of women in SET organizations The UK Resource Centre is funded by the DTI until 2007 -- with a one off contribution of £200k from DFES -- and will run under contract to the Office of Science and Technology. Total value of government investment is £4.1 million over three years. The funds available for it are: * £800K for 3 years to run the Resource Centre * £500K for 3 years for a dedicated SET returners package * £200K from DfES for an initiative aimed at undergraduates The Resource Centre will also be expected to lever in private sector funding. Launching the new UK Resource Centre for women in SET, Patricia Hewitt, Secretary for Trade and Industry said: "The nation's science base is the bedrock of our economic performance. We need more people working in science, engineering and technology -- that means making sure that professional women in these sectors are able to contribute fully at all stages in their career. he UK Resource Centre for women will have a key role delivering this goal." The UK Resource Centre for women in SET, based in Bradford, will work with British business to help maximize the opportunities for professional women in SET and close the skills gap that is damaging UK competitiveness. Welcoming the launch, Jacqui Smith, Minister of State for Industry and the Regions and Deputy Minister for Women and Equality, said: "It is vital for the UK's competitiveness that we close the skills gap in science, engineering and technology. The UK can no longer afford to hemorrhage SET skills due to poor opportunities for women in SET industries. "We need to get more girls excited about careers in SET and more women with SET skills employed to use their specialist training and experience in good jobs and in senior positions. And we need to work with business to make sure that women who take career breaks return to quality SET positions. "The government is increasing investment in science to historically high levels but investment alone is not enough if we are wasting talent and experience. Through the UK Resource Centre for women in SET, the government will work with industry and academia to find better ways to encourage more women to move into SET careers and stay in them." Included in the government funding is 200k from DFES to support an initiative which will help Higher Education Institutions put measures in place to aid the retention of female undergraduates on SET courses and their progression into the SET labour force. Minister at the Department for Education and Skills, Kim Howells said: "If the UK is to retain its position as a world-- leader in science and engineering, we must encourage more women to take up, stay and succeed in Science, Engineering and Technology careers. I am delighted that the Department for Education and Skills is contributing to this initiative by helping higher education institutions to run mentoring schemes, industry placements and provide other support to female undergraduates to aid their progression into Science, Engineering and Technology careers" Annette Williams, Director of the Resource Centre said: "Women now make up almost half of the workforce and yet their talents and expertise are still not being utilised to the fullest -- particularly in science, engineering and technology. At the same time the UK is currently experiencing a skills shortage in these sectors. It is in the interest of progress, innovation, and economic success that this problem is addressed and that the true potential of women is fostered. Shrewd employers are beginning to r ecognizethis. The new Resource Centre was set up as part of the Government's Strategy for Women in SET published in 2003 which was the response to the Greenfield Report of 2002. That report identified the need for a national center to provide a strategic focus for initiatives working to improve the position of women in SET employment and education. It will play a key part in the government's 10 year investment framework in science and innovation published in July.