Experts call on government to lower barriers to entry into the quantum industries

The UK currently leads the way in Quantum, an industry predicted to be worth $31.7 billion by 2026, but academics, industry leaders and innovators are warning that this edge is in danger of being dramatically eroded. They’re citing lack of knowledge and are encouraging the skills gap to be narrowed at school, making the science more accessible and ensuring diversity in the future Quantum workforce.

Quantum technology, one of the fastest growing tech sectors, is a class of technology that works by using the principles of quantum mechanics (the interaction of sub-atomic particles). Your smartphone is a type of quantum technology, its semiconductors use quantum physics to work, and the technology is also used in MRI scanners, imaging, self-driving cars, the aviation industry, weather forecasting and data analytics.

Experts in their field including FTSE 250 Oxford Instruments NanoScience are now calling on the Government and the tech sector to act URGENTLY and to collaborate on graduate programmes and internships to build connections between academia and industry. They say it is critical to lower barriers to entry – i.e. you don’t have to have a PhD to work in Quantum.

Aston spoke to Stuart Woods, managing director at Oxford Instruments NanoScience.