Report highlights ‘lack of new engineering blood’ An EngineeringUK report projecting the UK’s capacity for industrial growth reveals that the shortfall of under-19s taking advanced engineering apprenticeships.
That ‘could jeopardise the UK’s ability to compete against leading economies, such as China and the US’.
‘Engineering UK 2014’ highlights a decline (based on 2011/2012 data) of 12.2 % to 16,280 young people under 19 taking engineeringrelated Advanced Level Apprenticeships.
The report’s findings and recommendations were the basis of a roundtable meeting at No. 11 Downing Street, at which Minister for Skills and Enterprise, Matthew Hancock MP, discussed ‘the imperatives of a skilled engineering talent-pipeline’ with representatives from organisations including BAE Systems, BT Technology, National Grid, Rolls-Royce, and Shell UK.
EngineeringUK Chief Executive, Paul Jackson, said: “Positive action has been taken to address the skills gap at all levels. The recent Perkins Review, and announcement of investment in universities and further education colleges’ science and engineering facilities, will build a foundation to accelerate skills growth in the sector.
“The overall growth in Advanced Level Apprenticeships is driven by engineers aged 25+, which suggests that UK engineering businesses are taking positive action to ensure that current employees are qualified to the right level. Undoubtedly other engineering-related level 3 vocational qualifications will feed into the future supply of skilled technicians and engineers. However, as these findings show, it is vital that we focus on attracting new talent.”
Following the report’s publication, EngineeringUK called, ‘on behalf of the engineering community’, for:
• A two-fold increase in under-19s studying vocational level 3 qualifications, and particularly a rise in numbers studying the Advanced Apprenticeship frameworks in engineering and manufacturing technology, construction planning and the built environment, and information and communications technologies.
• A doubling in engineering graduates.
• Twice the number of young people studying GSCE physics as part of triple sciences, and an increase in students studying physics ‘A’ level, with a particular focus on increasing take-up and progression by girls.
• Provision of ‘careers inspiration’ for all 11-14 year-olds, to include opportunities to meet technical leaders from a range of scientific, technological, engineering, and business sectors.
• Support for teachers and careers advisors in delivering information on the range of modern scientific, technological, and engineering career paths.
