Comment 13


The height of my school days was in the early eighties, and in the world of my little seaside town, ‘intelligent’ children were encouraged to do degrees and threatened with the horrors of secretarial or engineering courses as the price of failure. On entering the big, wide world I discovered that this attitude, in principle at least, was prevalent throughout the country, and this has always confused me. Many of the older people I have known over the years have been highly skilled in their trade of choice and, in the main, proud of it. The local plumber was a pillar of the community, was considered the ultimate wise-man of all things drainage and his pipework was an artform. As for apprenticeships, they were something to aspire to, whether you had a degree or not. And employers saw apprenticeships as investments in


The changing face of skills and training T


raining is something that’s very close to my heart – especially trade skills.


the future.


A big part of the problem with apprenticeships is the short-term employment culture. It used to be that an apprenticeship was the gateway to an employee that stayed with the company for 50 years.


But the average length of time an employee spends with a company now is something like 4.4 years, so it’s easy for companies to become jaded and start looking at school-leavers as cheap labour rather than potential lifers, because they just aren’t going to stay long enough to justify the investment. Which circles around to the point where learning a trade can be seen as a dead-end.


There are organisations and colleges that offer many great courses and opportunities these days, as the home- grown skills shortage has become felt. But there also needs to be a change in attitude by both employers and employees.


Quality trade skills are something


that have to be earned, and should therefore come hand-in-hand with pride of achievement.


And investment in the future can never be a bad thing can it?


Lynn Sencicle Editor


Readers’ letters - Government action and armchair critics THE RECENT Perkins review calls


Readers’ letters - Government action and armchair critics


THE RECENT Perkins review calls upon parents, teachers, employers and Government to unite to address the shortage of engineers in the UK. It’s encouraging to see that an engineering week arranged recently in Scarborough attracted a high turnout of young students, enabling them to interact with fun demonstrations and talk to friendly faces in what is often perceived to be an intimidating industry. It’s less encouraging however, to see that some armchair critics have criticised the Government when it has


upon parents, teachers, employers and Government to unite to address the shortage of engineers in the UK. It’s encouraging to see that an engineering week arranged recently in Scarborough attracted a high turnout of young students, enabling them to interact with fun demonstrations and talk to friendly faces in what is often perceived to be an intimidating industry. It’s less encouraging however, to see that some armchair critics have criticised the Government when it has


finally made positive steps to unite the disparate engineering and manufacturing communities.


finally made positive steps to unite the disparate engineering and manufacturing communities.


The UK has heritage of innovation. But despite being one of our greatest exports, our knowledge base has been eroded in recent years by the rapid growth of Asian markets.


The UK has heritage of innovation. But despite being one of our greatest exports, our knowledge base has been eroded in recent years by the rapid growth of Asian markets.


The Government’s announcement of £49m in funding to address the skills shortage therefore, is welcome news. The rapid pace of technological innovation means that by the time students leave university, their understanding of the


The Government’s announcement of £49m in funding to address the skills shortage therefore, is welcome news. The rapid pace of technological innovation means that by the time students leave university, their understanding of the


industry may be outdated. At Harmonic Drive we have just initiated a programme to work with final year and postgraduate students to provide up to date robotics and transmission knowledge.


industry may be outdated. At Harmonic Drive we have just initiated a programme to work with final year and postgraduate students to provide up to date robotics and transmission knowledge.


I would call on other SMEs and small businesses to engage with your local community in bringing about this long awaited change to the industry in similar ways.


I would call on other SMEs and small businesses to engage with your local community in bringing about this long awaited change to the industry in similar ways.


Don’t leave it all to big business and Government. Perhaps then we can be justified in our armchair criticism. Graham Mackrell, Harmonic Drive


Don’t leave it all to big business and Government. Perhaps then we can be justified in our armchair criticism. Graham Mackrell, Harmonic Drive


Fujitsu Air Conditioning | Comfort is our passion www.fgeurofred.co.uk


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