Background
Supporting STEM education in schools
We aim to strengthen STEM education in secondary schools to help build a strong future technical workforce. Our key projects focus on STEM teacher retention, training and recruitment, and inspiring 11–16 year olds to discover the diverse opportunities in technician careers.
Gatsby supports evidence-based reforms to increase STEM teacher supply, and our work includes commissioning research, publishing evidence-based reports, and working in partnership with government, schools, and teacher training providers to build a stronger specialist teaching workforce.
To inspire the next generation of technicians, we support engaging initiatives that highlight creative, hands-on careers that are critical to solving real-world challenges. Our Technicians Make the Difference campaign and partnership with the Science Museum bring technician roles to life, while our support of the BBC Bitesize Careers Tour takes inspiring stories directly into schools.
Our broader work on careers education and guidance champions support of each and every young person, and we also ensure that schools have the tools to introduce young people to technical routes early – building awareness and aspiration from age 11 onwards.
Building a stronger STEM school teacher workforce
Gatsby supports sustainable, evidence-based solutions to ensure every pupil has access to excellent secondary science education, wherever they are.
Celebrating Technicians
Our initiatives celebrate technicians as our hidden workforce, essential for economic growth and preventing future STEM skills shortages.
Gatsby Benchmarks
The Gatsby Benchmarks are an evidence-based framework that defines world-class careers guidance for young people.
Strengthening pathways into technical education
By strengthening the routes into technical education, we help to make it more accessible to a wider range of learners.
Featured reports
Teacher Recruitment and Retention in 2025
An updated report on teacher recruitment and retention at the close of the teacher recruitment season in summer 2025
Author(s)
Becky Allen, Timo Hannay, Laura McInerney
How to recruit 6,500 new teachers?
Research from NFER modelling the potential routes to delivering Labour's teacher supply pledge.
Author(s)
Jack Worth, Sarah Tang
An Exploratory Study of the Early Career Framework
Recommendations how to improve the early career framework to boost teacher recruitment and retention.
Author(s)
Sam Twiselton, Nansi Ellis, Michelle Barker, Emily Perry
The First 18 Months: Teachers Views on the Early Career Framework
A report, released by Teacher Tapp and funded by Gatsby, highlights the limited impact the Early Career Framework (ECF) has had on the experiences of newly qualified teachers and shows a need for reform.
Author(s)
Teacher Tapp, SchoolDash
Impact of COVID-19 on education and children’s services: recruitment and retention
In June 2020, we submitted a response to the House of Commons Education Select Committee enquiry into the impact of covid-19 on education and children's services, focusing on recruitment & retention of specialist science teachers.
Author(s)
The Gatsby Charitable Foundation
External links
Promoting careers in technicians fields
A campaign to ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.
A world class careers system
Eight benchmarks to define world-class careers education, information, advice and guidance for young people in England, based on international evidence.
Improving lives through STEM education
Delivering teacher CPD (continuing professional development) in STEM subjects, creating STEM role models and providing bespoke, long-term support for schools.