Engineering Training Board Seminar: Technician Supply and Demand - do the numbers add up?
Gordon Kirk represented the ICG at this seminar, delivered to keep stakeholders abreast of supply and demand for technicians and vocational skills in the engineering industry. The ETB hosted the event and they, SEMPTA (the sector skills council) and the Engineering Employers Federation presented the issues.
The key fact is the reported skills shortage at technician level within the industry. Despite the fact that nearly half of engineering graduates do not enter the industry, this level of entry seems to be holding its own. At the craft and semi skilled level, manufacturing jobs are still declining some production level jobs have been outsourced abroad, although not at the rate some perceive, so overall shortages are not high. But at management, associate professional and technician level, employment is increasing in the UK, and there are significant skill shortages at technician and associate professional. Design and product innovation are areas showing the greatest demand for new talent. The UK is still the 6th largest manufacturer in the world.
The headline issues from the presentations and top discusson issues have been summarised by the ETB and will be available on the ICG website shortly.
Despite a very specific focus, the discussions ranged around engineering training at all levels and modes of delivery. The following points made by stakeholders may be of particular interest to ICG members:-
Employer inputs into education and training courses: many stake holders felt that the current work-experience model is no longer fit for purpose. Some creative thinking is required to ensure that those following education and training programmes at all levels benefit from some direct experience of engineering in the real world, to an acceptable quality standard.
The perceptions of young people and parents: there was a call for some in-depth and longitudinal research into the perception of engineering as a career. The perceptions of young women were of particular concern. The rate of increase in take up of engineering by women of all ages has been significant but is still far too slow.
Entry restrictions: there was a view that apprenticeships, full time education and other entry routes should be open to all ages. The main source of new talent for this and many other industries over the next period will be career changers, aged 20+, many much older. Policy makers need to be aware of this and loosen up the restrictions. Good IAG, realistic entry pathways and appropriate funding streams need to be available.
Support for small employers: while large employers are often oversubscribed at all levels of vacancy, thousands of small employers are reported to be ill-informed and confused when it comes to strategies for recruitment and training. As well as a better service from within the industry and from business support agencies, a renewed focus on employer engagement from bodies such as Connexions and a mechanism for sharing LMI across both young peoples and adult IAG services would be welcomed.
Who leads?: the Leitch Review suggests that skills-training is the responsibility of all partners (LSC; employers; government; SSCs) but no one partner is taking the lead. Goals, funding and responsibility needs to be more clearly and realistically defined.
Ethical IAG: views were expressed by several stakeholders about the need to be more frank with entrants and potential entrants and their families about the real prospects of those entering the industry with one of the range of new qualifications emerging in the last few years e.g. foundation degrees; young apprenticeships; (new) Diplomas in Engineering 14-19. The reality may be different to government rhetoric and certainly different for different individuals and circumstances and localities. Similarly with the availability of provision, such as engineering apprenticeships. Some stakeholders felt that they were under pressure to tow a government line that reflected an ideal reality for clients, not an actual reality.
A 'social partnership': it was recognised that young people and their parents are more persuaded by the most secure route-way into a career than what may be the most appropriate in terms of the learning experience. This can have a detrimental effect on entry to engineering apprenticeships, described in many parts of the country as rare, difficult for young people of 16 to gain entry to, and insecure when they do, compared to full time college courses. A partnership of employers, government, trade-unions and community representatives was called for to replace the current system and provide a better, more available local apprenticeship provision, with more secure entry and progression routes. Lessons from the German model should be learned.
Gordon Kirk
SE representative on Council. | 
