TIGA, the trade association representing the UK
games industry, said today that the Government needed to do more to increase
the supply of people with STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths)
skills.
TIGA made the comment following a prediction by the Confederation of
British Industry (CBI) that by 2014 the UK will need an extra 730,000 people
with STEM qualifications compared to 2007 (CBI), both to replace an aging workforce
and fill up the new roles arising in areas such as the green economy.
Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, said:
“If the UK is
going to compete on the basis of innovative businesses, a highly skilled
workforce and the knowledge economy, then the Government must continue to take
steps to improve education and to address existing and prospective skill
shortages. TIGA research showed that in 2010, two fifths of games businesses
suffered from skill shortages whilst recruiting over the previous year.
Ameliorating the shortage of people with STEM skills is important to the games
industry and to the wider economy.
“To
incentivise the study of STEM subjects, the Government could consider a pilot
scheme, whereby it intervenes to ensure that tuition fees for students studying
disciplines such as mathematics and computer science are competitively priced
in comparison to other degrees.
“More
generally, over time we should aim to increase proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) devoted
to tertiary education in the UK. The UK spends just 1.2 per
cent of GDP on tertiary education, compared to Canada’s 2.5 per cent, South
Korea’s 2.6 per cent and the USA’s 2.7 per cent. We can have neither a highly
skilled workforce nor a world beating higher education system on the cheap.”
Philip Oliver, TIGA board member and CEO of Blitz Studios,
said:
“In addition
to these education reforms, the Government should consider the introduction of an SME
Training Tax Relief (TTR). This measure would operate in a similar way to the
existing R&D tax credits. SMEs would be able to offset expenditure on
training, Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for staff and education
outreach activities against corporation tax. This measure would help small
businesses to invest in skills, to the benefit of employees, businesses and the
wider UK economy.”
Ends
About
TIGA:
TIGA is the trade association representing the
UK’s games industry. The majority of our members are either independent
games developers or in-house publisher owned developers. We also have
games publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities
amongst our membership. TIGA was awarded ‘Trade Association of the Year’ and
the ‘Member Recruitment Award’ at the Trade Association Forum Best Practice
Awards 2010. In 2011, TIGA won a further
four awards at the Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards, including
‘Trade Association of the Year’ for the second consecutive year.
TIGA has been voted a finalist in the CMI
Management and Leadership Awards 2011 in the ‘Outstanding Organisation (SME)’
category. Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, has been voted a finalist in the
‘Outstanding Leader’ category. TIGA was
also named as a finalist in the 2010 Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
National Management and Leadership Awards in the category of ‘The Outstanding
Organisation of the Year Award (SME)’. TIGA is an ‘Investors in People’
accredited organisation.
TIGA is the trade
association representing the UK’s games industry. Our vision is to make the UK the best place in
the world to do games business. Our mission is to fight for the interests of
game developers. To achieve our vision and mission we focus on the delivery of
three strategic objectives: effective political representation, profile raising
and helping our members commercially. This means that TIGA members are
effectively represented in the corridors of power, their voice is heard in the
media and they receive benefits that make a material difference to their
businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial
opportunities.
For
further information, please contact Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on: 07875 939
643, or email richard.wilson@tiga.org.