MORE than 8,000 extra science and technology graduates are needed in the North-East in the next eight years, business experts have warned.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said science, technology, engineering and maths students should be given a £1,000 bursary to ensure growth in the region's economy.

The North-East's process industries sector is worth £9bn and represents 25 per cent of the region's economy.

The CBI believes this sector alone needs thousands of new graduates, and it does not take into account other engineering and manufacturing companies' requirements.

The CBI has called for the brightest 40 per cent of 14-year-olds to take three science GCSEs rather than the combined science qualification studied by most pupils.

Since 1984, those studying physics A-level has dropped by 57 per cent, while the take-up of chemistry has decreased by 28 per cent.

The proportion of graduates in the subjects has dropped by a quarter between 1994 and last year.

Sarah Green, director of the CBI's North-East branch, said "Too many potential scientists and engineers are abandoning these subjects at an early stage in their lives and missing out on rewarding, varied and lucrative career options. Some employers are already finding it difficult to get the right talent, and the problem is set to get worse.

"The North-East cannot compete with the developing world on low-skilled jobs, so to thrive in the global market, we must excel in the higher-skilled roles that demand expertise and innovation.

"If we are to reach our region's potential, we need to ensure that we have young people with an appetite and ability for science.

"Bursaries towards the cost of degrees which are most useful to the economy could kick-start thousands of young people into reconsidering a future in science."

George Ritchie, chairman of the North-East Process Industry Cluster's skills, education and engagement group and senior vice-president of SembCorp Utilities UK, said "The science-based process industry faces real skills challenges to maintain its competitive position and continue to contribute as a key UK economic sector.

"It is very important that the public and private sectors, education and industry, work together to support and maintain the skills base and encourage new entrants into this vital industry.

"A recent survey has shown that by 2015, over 8,000 new graduate jobs will have been created in the process industry sector in North-East England alone.

"We need our home-grown graduates to fill these jobs."