it’s the skills gap. especially prone to those changes. When I started in engineering, in GEC, 35+ years ago, they said – we cannot retain engineers. Put simply, we are experiencing a growing age gap in engineering-focused fields. May 30, 2019. Rather than looking for a complete With Brexit looming and borders tightening, it is equally essential that UK companies focus on nurturing home-grown talent as well as overseas. Engineers remain on UK skills shortage list. Data from Engineering UK’s recent report, ‘The state of engineering’, shows that there's an But attracting, recruiting and retaining highly-skilled engineering talent continues to present a major challenge for the industry - with a recent report from Engineering UK highlighting an estimated 59,000 annual shortfall of graduates and technicians to fill core engineering roles. industry expertise. When some people think of engineering, the ‘hard hat’ stereotype comes to mind. application of engineering knowledge and skill, alongside other skill sets. Engineering has a vital role to play in the UK's economic and societal wellbeing. This situation creates a sense of urgency to improve how engineers are prepared during their schooling so that we can close the skills gap. UK Industry has been saying there is a skills gap, for many decades. Be the first to post one! HR did a big exercise to find out – the one thing they did not want to discuss was salary…. If Britain’s engineering skills shortage continues to grow rapidly year on year it could be impossible to bridge the gap unless companies act now by investing Fortunately the engineering industry is changing at a slower (but still exciting pace) compared to Engineering companies therefore have an important role to play in promoting Soft skills are personal strengths such as communication, interpersonal skills and critical thinking. According to the Talent 2050 report, the focus on fixed qualification requirements (such as A-level maths or physics) can be perceived as an obstacle for some candidates. an expanding gap between current skill sets and those needed for the modern world. For help with It was his expertise that lead him to form Henderson Biomedical, or Henderson Associates as it … Engineering UK’s EBM survey reveals that young people aged 11 to 19 who would consider a career in engineering has risen from 40 per cent in 2013 to 51 per cent in 2017. So even if we hope to resolve the problem by as early as 2050, then that leaves just ten years for the engineering industry to identify what works and to put those new measures in place. professional development and opportunities for progression. In the future, new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) will become an integral part of businesses, and Some of the You have reached the maximum number of jobs you can save. those changes will affect every sector to some extent. In the future, we can expect that there will be an increased need for a variety of skills in the workplace and But attracting, recruiting and retaining highly-skilled engineering talent continues to present a major challenge for the industry - with a recent report from Engineering UK highlighting an estimated 59,000 annual shortfall of graduates and technicians to fill core engineering roles. While candidates may often be practically or educationally qualified, there is a concern amongst some employers of a lack of 'soft skills' (communication, leadership, adaptability, teamwork, problem-solving etc) that can play a significant role in enhancing employability. Another contributing factor to the shortfall in engineering talent could be a decreased awareness of what is The engineering skills gap is growing quickly. But to get anywhere near to meeting that requirement, we need to double from current levels the number of graduates entering the profession. there's an anticipated annual shortfall of up to 59,000 engineering graduates and technicians to fill these electrical, software and systems could help you build a strong and successful team to take the business The top drivers of the skills gap reported by employers include strong competition for skilled candidates, a shortage of applicants with appropriate qualifications and a lack of awareness among young people of the educational routes into engineering occupations. their industry and attracting future talent. The UK has massive potential to lead in software engineering, but to do so we need to have the right talent; we need to inspire the next generation. It takes twenty years, say the report's authors, to guide a generation through early years education to gradation. Engineering Assessment and GAP Analysis Engineering Assessment, Gap Analysis & CAPs WACOL has conducted hundreds of physical assessments, As-Built drawings, Gap analysis, and ROM and SOW development, and provided recommendations and implementation assistance for upgrading public and commercial facility all over the country. The engineering and manufacturing sector has long suffered from crippling skill shortages, and the problem appears to be getting worse. In their 2017 State of Engineering report, EngineeringUK reported a 20,000 annual shortfall of engineering graduates. your hiring needs or to find your next role, contact us. ASME sits down with Kevin Perry to discuss how an investment in learning and development can help solve it. to change. “Doing this requires collaboration at all levels. Engineers wanted in the UK! in today’s market: As industry experts we’re perfectly positioned to find the right candidates. Although almost a quarter of UK manufacturing companies recruit graduates from outside the EU to help fill the gap, this solution is becoming increasingly less viable. Companies wanting to hire top talent need to consider a hiring strategy that involves attractive compensation It is now widely recognised that the sector is facing a skills crisis like never before, and measures need to be taken to help the leaders of the engineering industry fill the jobs that are integral to the field. Despite the well-publicised engineering skills gap, many students, like Helen, simply aren’t provided with the right information when it matters most. Despite the recognition of the importance of encouraging greater emphasis on the development of digital and environmental skills, including AI, the report suggests that more work needs to be done to ensure this knowledge is fully integrated at regional and national level. When young people are making decisions As technology The Open University has estimates that the UK skills gap costs the country more than £2billion, and has found 91 per cent of businesses have had difficulty recruiting in the last year, forcing them to pay higher salaries, incur greater recruitment costs or employ temporary staff as a result. Recently, the CBI found that over two-thirds of businesses in the UK are reporting unfilled digital skills vacancies – and this is set to skyrocket. Part of the problem is due to the gap between the skills new engineering graduates have and what industry needs. And, perhaps above all else, the project stresses the importance of taking action now. Liz Scott, Head of HR at Actavo Direct, discusses how companies can drive talent and train construction professionals of the future to bridge today’s current skills gap. The shortfall in engineering students means that competition in this sector of the employment market is fierce. To close the skills gap, engineering companies should at least double their current involvement with academia. speak up and grab any opportunity that comes your way.”. Placing greater value on practical achievements (and potentially rethinking the current academic requirement for apprentices. If we are to overcome this skills shortage, this has to change. the digital, physical and biological worlds is shrinking and technology is changing faster than ever. There are also concerns that the UK's current educational and training initiatives may be serving to merely plug the skills gap rather than helping to build a rich reservoir of engineering capability. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(353296, '7e35267f-89ba-448a-9cf7-60f2d0f1199c', {}); Click subscribe now to consent to instant blog updates. Why ? So what needs to be done to encourage greater numbers of well-educated, well-trained and well-motivated candidates to join the engineering industry - and perhaps more importantly, to stick around? It is up to educational institutions and businesses to work together to encourage more women into a career in engineering. The UK’s engineering industry is facing a skills shortage of unprecedented levels – if we need 1.8 million people trained by 2025, they can’t all be white males. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is having a transformative impact on engineering roles. The average age of an engineer in the UK is 54 which means across all sectors, recruitment is a key priority. We’ve compared the averages of 12 regions and compared with the overall national demand to see who comes out on top. process, meaning a different set of skills will be required. This had led to engineers. And Knovel comes for good knowing how to benefit from the situation. Education and Job Requirements Most aspiring engineers will need at least a bachelor’s degree from an engineering school or university, and the best-paid engineers usually have a master’s degree or Ph.D. in their field. The list covers skilled roles where it is considered sensible to try to address shortages through migration and effectively makes it easier to recruit from the international … Engineering has a vital role to play in the UK's economic and societal wellbeing. disciplines and have experience working in multi-discipline teams may find themselves with an edge over other It seems these are subjects that will always be relevant; indeed, it seems they will always be controversial. Engineering Skills Gap UK: Applications are open. engineering roles. annual demand for 124,000 engineers and technicians, as well as 79,000 related roles that require a mixed tasks, but engineers of all types will still be in high demand - however, their focus may shift towards the design most valuable soft skills to look out for in engineering candidates include: Hiring top talent can be a demanding task especially in today's market, with high demand but a short supply of The first stage of Talent 2050 has identified some key issues which will continue to be explored in Phase 2 of the project, including: The Talent 2050 study highlights the importance of encouraging greater participation from a more productive and diverse workforce by focusing not just on the attainment of qualifications but on each candidate's attitude, motivation and potential. Stephen McGrath, Senior Consultant says “We have learned very recently that we all need to be ready to adapt Chapter 2 â€“ Engineering and its economic contributions We’ve studied key employment sectors currently in high demand in the UK. Seeking out opportunities for collaboration and increased sharing of resources across the public sector, educational institutions and employers. Survey underlines engineering and tech skills gap. competitive annual leave entitlement and popular flexible working options such as part-time or remote work. When assessing candidates’ technical skills and abilities, try not to overlook the value of their ‘soft’ skills too. UK Skills Demand by Region. Less than 10% of the UK’s engineering workforce are women and only 6% are from minority ethnic backgrounds, therefore, widening participation in underrepresented groups is an essential part of addressing the engineering skills challenge. Engineering skills gap is holding the UK back Published by Alex Henderson at 5th December 2018 Our founder Mark Henderson started his career as an electronic engineering over 30 years ago. Our poll for this week, published yesterday, asks how the numbers of young people entering further engineering education can be increased, and less than 24 hours after publication the poll […] boost your chances of hiring top candidates by giving you access to their network of talent as well as their It refers to a widening divide between the skills workers possess and the skills businesses require. The UK spends just two-thirds of the European average on adult training, and investment is in decline. This shortfall of home talent has led many UK companies to recruit engineering talent from overseas, but with the terms of Brexit yet to be confirmed, this ability to source talent from the rest of Europe may be hindered, leaving the UK engineering industry even more skills … Simultaneously, there's a clear sign of the increasing need for a skilled workforce in the engineering and Following a review by the Migration Advisory Committee, a range of engineering roles have been included in the recommended Shortage Occupation List (SOL). candidates. The UK skills gap has been rumbling in the background for some time. The biggest issue that is dragging back our productivity? and benefits, along with highlighting other differentiators such as a positive working culture, ongoing JJS Manufacturing Ltd Wycliffe Industrial Park, Leicester Road, Lutterworth, United Kingdom LE17 4HG. And it suggests that there could be value in developing an enrolment or recruitment strategy that focuses not just on an individual's previous record of educational achievement but on his or her ability to acquire new skills. The STEM Skills Gap is Growing The evolving and changing engineering skillset needed for systems-driven product development is one of the biggest workforce challenges for nearly 40 percent of manufacturers polled in a recent survey. A recent report commissioned by PwC found that a ‘lack of skills’ is one of the top 10 threats perceived by CEOs globally. Stuart NathanFeatures editor Education, qualifications and skills. collaboration between different experts. Advancements in technology will enable the automation of many production For now at least, it would appear that the industry demand for candidates with science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills isn't currently being fulfilled by the UK education system. Due to their highly technical nature, engineering jobs are Engineering fields see the focus falling on perceived shortages of workers skilled in STEM subjects. There has been a significant improvement with apprenticeship programmes … The distinction between Consequently, engineers who have been exposed to other engineering The National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) has recently announced the findings of the first phase of its research project - 'Talent 2050: Engineering Skills and Education for the Future'. The construction industry is on the rise, estimated to be worth $8tn (~£6.52tn) by 2030 and with growing demand for new-builds and global urbanisation, businesses need to nurture a new pipeline of talent to complete projects. - while a House of Commons briefing paper published in May 2019 revealed that only 11.2% of apprenticeship starts in 2017/2018 were taken up by people with disabilities. The skills gap in the UK has been a widely-debated issue for some time. 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