Mandatory Maths - Is it enough?

The commitment to reimagining the UK’s approach to numeracy which Sunak laid out in his speech yesterday is, in my view, a positive one overall. Ensuring that children have the best possible grasp of maths and statistics until the age of 18 should be welcomed with open arms. Government statistics suggest that around half of the UK’s working population have the numeracy skills of primary children. This is a pretty shocking statistic given that – echoing the Prime Minister’s words from yesterday – data and statistics underpin so many of the jobs out there today. Sending children out into the world at the end of their school years without these skills makes little sense.

Looking at the UK tech sector specifically, with new AI technologies emerging rapidly and an ever-growing focus on being data-driven, the sector simply needs more candidates with sound statistical and mathematical backgrounds to fill certain roles in the fields of data engineering, data science and more.?

But here is where I think Sunak’s intentions don’t go far enough. Just focusing on hiring maths students and graduates only solves half of the problem when it comes to the growth of the UK tech sector. For companies looking to make their mark, it's not just about new hiring. Effective change also requires skilling and training existing staff to become more data literate. There are a few ways of doing this:?

• Democratise knowledge: Leaders must engage in a concerted effort to ensure individuals are equipped with the right training to truly harness their organisations’ data. This spans beyond just the technical teams and needs to include lines of business teams as well. The more employees who understand how to leverage data, the more businesses can align and drive innovation.
• Embrace community: Promoting peer-to-peer skilling must not be overlooked – indeed, this is what has made open source such a driving force in technology. Encouraging individuals to learn from each other will be key to advancing the collective knowledge, and therefore success, of the company.?
• Hire outside the box: Hiring staff from non-traditional statistical or mathematical backgrounds, such as humanities, can also add another fresh perspective when it comes to getting the most out of data. As tech leaders, we shouldn’t be limiting our hiring scope merely to those with STEM backgrounds. Soft skills, as always, are integral to the sector and there are many other transferable skills that individuals from a wide range of backgrounds can bring to the table.?

I really want to drive home the importance of that final point. While I initially studied computer engineering at university, which of course requires a lot of mathematical thinking, I ultimately obtained my undergraduate degree in Business - Information Systems. If technology companies had only hired those with maths, science or engineering backgrounds, I, and others, may never have entered the industry.

For me, this represents an opportunity for us to consciously think about the breadth of expertise needed to create a diverse data culture. And while foundational maths are critical, how do we leverage not just traditional STEM, but also other areas of knowledge and expertise to create diverse thought. It’s this diversity that will allow organisations, and technology, to truly grow.