Academy’s pioneering work to close the skills gap

Championing engineers’ key role in society, addressing the shortage of engineers from all backgrounds in the UK workforce as part of a drive for diversity and equality and to address the skills gap, and close working with key engineering institutes to ensure that the profession’s voice is heard, are among the key priorities for Dr Hayaatun Sillem, who became the Royal Academy of Engineering’s CEO last January. When she met with HEJ’s editor, Jonathan Baillie, recently, she explained that she had not only been ‘hugely honoured’ to have secured the role, but also feels now is ‘a particularly exciting time’ for UK engineers.

‘Engineering matters. It underpins our daily lives, drives economic growth, plays a critical role in addressing major societal challenges, and helps ensure our readiness for the future – from providing a sustainable supply of food, water and clean energy, to advancing healthcare, and keeping us safe and secure’. These words – from the Royal Academy of Engineering’s website – make clear the profession’s importance in all aspects of our daily lives, and during my hour’s discussion with Dr Sillem it became clear that she is a firm proponent of engineers’ positive impact on society, with what she dubs ‘a real personal passion for engineering and the people working within it’. 

In fact, it transpired, she only entered the engineering profession by chance. “During the latter stages of my schooling at Hammersmith’s Godolphin and Latymer School,” she explained, “I was keen to pursue a scientific career, and on leaving school studied for a Master’s Degree in biochemistry at Oxford University. I then studied for a PhD with Cancer Research UK at University College London, gaining the doctorate in 2002. Unfortunately my career as a biochemist was short-lived – I discovered that I was sensitive to some of the laboratory chemicals that I would have had to work with, which made pursuing such a career impractical.”