RSC Says Chemistry Added £1.9 Billion to Wales in 2023 as Skills Pipeline Risks Grow
Updated
Updated · Business News Wales · Jul 2
RSC Says Chemistry Added £1.9 Billion to Wales in 2023 as Skills Pipeline Risks Grow
3 articles · Updated · Business News Wales · Jul 2
Summary
£1.9 billion in 2023 Gross Value Added came from chemical science in Wales, with the Royal Society of Chemistry saying the sector underpins jobs, innovation and growth across the nation.
£99,500 in GVA per worker in Wales—versus £73,300 for the wider UK workforce—helped make the case, while 83% of chemistry graduates moved into high-skilled roles.
Funding pressure on universities and wider education pathways could choke that talent supply, the report warned, threatening businesses that depend on chemistry skills, research and local innovation ecosystems.
The RSC urged Welsh, devolved and UK authorities to treat chemistry as core economic infrastructure, backing teaching, research, lab space, pilot plants and scale-up support.
Across the UK, the report said chemistry contributed £60.5 billion in 2023, with 46% of chemistry-using professionals working in government priority sectors, underscoring wider regional growth implications.