PHYSICS and chemistry graduates can lack the necessary social skills to fill vital teaching posts, academics have warned.
Professor Donald Gillies, dean of the School of Education at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), called for science graduates to be given “interpersonal” lessons to make them more employable in the classroom.
The intervention comes amidst growing concern over shortages of teachers in vital STEM subjects such as science and mathematics.
And it mirrors the stereotype of science graduates as “geeky” typified by the hit American sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
Mr Gillies said: “Statistics show even in the hardest to recruit subjects such as maths, physics and chemistry applications still outstrip available places.
“However, such applicants are not always suitable as... at interview they do not demonstrate the required qualities and skills to indicate they are suitable for teaching.
“One action which would help would be for undergraduate degrees, especially in physics, to place more emphasis on interpersonal and related social skills to enable students to become better suited to professions such as teaching where human interaction and relationships are central.”
The call comes in a response from UWS to an inquiry into teacher shortages by the Scottish Parliament’s education committee.
Universities which offer teacher training courses also raised concerns about the impact of a Scottish Government recruitment campaign.
Earlier this year, the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Learned Societies’ Group on STEM suggested bursaries of up to £30,000 should be offered to attract graduates.
However, the Scottish Government has decided to invest in an advertising campaign to lure candidates by highlighting the rewards of passing on their expertise to a new generation of pupils.
Strathclyde University said: “The Scottish Government publicity campaign has led to an increase in enquiries, but not in applications for STEM subjects.
“In England there are numerous schemes offering bursaries and golden handshakes for students in certain subjects.
“We cannot compete with this and so we lose potential applicants from Scotland and the rest of the UK.”
Glasgow University said: “While recent increased marketing... has been very welcome, much of the resulting increased interest has been focused on areas which were already in high demand rather than in programs with increased targets.
“Those who may otherwise be attracted to teaching in secondary STEM areas appear more willing to take up other occupations.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Our recruitment campaign targets the 20,000 or so STEM undergraduates who qualify from universities each year.?”
He added: “It builds on the success of last year’s campaign which helped drive a 19 per cent increase in postgraduate teaching intakes to Scottish universities compared to the previous year.”
The “Teaching Makes People” campaign included billboard advertisements at major railway stations throughout Scotland as well as targeted campaigns at university recruitment fairs.
John Swinney, the Education Secretary, said at the time: “The campaign is based on research showing people attracted by and suited to teaching are generally motivated by helping to develop others and making the most of their own knowledge.”
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