Cover of the qualified for the future report

New British Academy report shows the benefits of studying the social sciences

Qualified for the Future (May 2020) demonstrates the tangible benefits of skills developed in the social sciences, arts and humanities to the UK workforce, economy and society, not only now but in the future.

The report says that these areas will be vital in building the society we want to live in, with individuals able to tackle the challenges we face and shape the future.

It outlines how these subjects give people the tools to examine and explain human behaviour, understand how society functions, learn from the past and apply those lessons to the present, and analyse the drivers and implications of a changing world and how different countries, places and cultures interact.

Key headlines

  • “Those who study arts, humanities and social science subjects (AHSS) build careers which may move across many areas of employment.”
  • “Arts, humanities and social science graduates underpin key sectors of the UK economy. Of the ten fastest growing sectors, eight employ more graduates from AHSS than other disciplines.”
  • “AHSS graduates choose to work in a wide range of sectors across the economy, including financial services, education, social work, the media and creative industries.”
  • “AHSS graduates have the skills that employers value now, and skills for the future workplace.”
  • “Addressing future global challenges requires the knowledge and skills of both AHSS and STEM”
  • “AHSS graduates are at the heart of some of the most exciting, productive, largest and fastest-growing sectors of the UK economy such as information and communication, financial, legal and professional services, and the creative industries.”
  • “As well as underpinning the largest sectors of the UK economy, AHSS graduates are also vital to many of the fastest growing industries of the last ten years. These sectors include professional, scientific and technical, information and communication, and health and social work.”
  • “Beyond economic growth and financial prosperity, AHSS graduates are also more likely to be employed in particular industries that are valuable, even vital to society.”
  • “The UK economy is predicted to grow in several key sectors over the next five years. Of the ten fastest growing sectors, eight employ more graduates from AHSS than other disciplines, with six having over two-thirds of their graduate workforce from AHSS.”
  • “Nesta (2018) predicts that 900,000 new jobs will be generated in the creative industries between 2013 and 2030, with local economies growing their creative industries employment by an average of 11%, twice as fast as other sectors.”
  • “The evidence shows that arts, humanities and social sciences are vital to developing individuals competent to tackle the challenges we face and to grasp the opportunities which will shape the future.”

Read the full report here.

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