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Is the electronics industry an answer to the graduate unemployment crisis?


Figures released over the summer by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that 8 percent of 2012 graduates remained unemployed a year after graduation. The current lack of employment opportunities for graduates continues to be a major concern. So what do the future years hold for graduates in the UK electronic systems and components industry? Electronicsasks members of the electronic components supply network via the ecsn LinkedIn network for their thoughts, with some of the responses summarised here


“The employment prospects for graduates in a wide range of disciplines in the wider UK electronics industry remains stronger than in many other industries. Part of the problem


is defining what is ‘the electronics industry?’, due to the pervasive nature of the technology. Those graduates with science or engineering qualifications, almost regardless of which discipline, are quickly ‘snapped up’ in the electronic components, automotive, aerospace, industrial, medical and many other sectors who see great potential value in their qualification”


enerally, industry executives are optimistic about the prospects for electronic engineering gradu- ates in the UK. Barclay McKenna, European Marketing Manager at Omron Electronic Components Europe B.V., says that, “Whilst there is a lack of employment for graduates in general, I believe that engineering gradu- ates are still in demand. With the UK continuing as a major centre for electronic design and manufacturing starting to return from Asia, the prospects I’d say are relatively bright.” In addition Chris Shipway, Country Director at Avnet Memec sees many opportunities for engineering gradu- ates in the UK.“There are still a good number of new companies being estab- lished who need well qualified, talented


G graduates and numerous


established companies who want to bring in fresh talent. I would say that the prospects for engineering graduates


Electronics DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014


ecsn www.ecsn-uk.org Enter 200


are very positive,” said Shipway. “However, the situation in the component distribution sector is a little different, to ensure


distribution continues to


develop and meet the needs of its customers its essential that it attracts new people to drive growth and inno- vation in the future and it is this that is the challenge at the moment.” Nigel Watts Group Managing Director at Ismosys, thinks it is impor- tant to attract new people into the industry, but fears that ecsn stands for ‘Electronics Cannot


Stimulate


Newcomers’. “We need to change this and fast,” Watts advises.


“We are


blessed with some of the most innova- tive brains in the world. How do we harness them into our industry?” Distributors provide growing oppor- tunities for electronic engineering graduates, as technical support is devolved to them by component ven- dors. Anglia has doubled its Field Application Engineer (FAE) team over the last year and Marketing Director John Bowman believes that an FAE role provides an attractive and inter- esting opportunity for a bright gradu- ate. “An FAE role exposes you to a huge variety of design challenges and many diverse customers and offers a great opportunity for professional development. In addition to visiting many different customers, you also get to see many different suppliers, who will train you on their latest and greatest. You get your hands on stuff that most desk engineers will only read about,” he points out.


Bowman does caution however that, “Given this diversity, the distribution FAE role is probably best thought of as a second job after graduation rather than something to move into immedi- ately – but the supply chain is defi- nitely providing a growing number of exciting career opportunities for young engineers. The best distribution FAEs understand the products in their port- folio at least as well as the vendor’s in- house team that they are increasingly


replacing, and are trained to the same level on the same courses, often by the product developers.”


ecsn chairman Adam Fletcher con- cludes, “The employment prospects for graduates in a wide range of disci- plines in the wider UK electronics industry remains stronger than in many other industries. Part of the problem is defining what is ‘the elec- tronics industry?’, due to the pervasive nature of the technology.


“Those graduates with science or engineering qualifications, almost regardless of which discipline, are quickly ‘snapped up’ in the electronic components, automotive, aerospace, industrial, medical and many other sectors who see great potential value in their qualification. The same is true for those graduates with IT skills, as the back office of most organisations has grown significantly, primarily as the need to deploy new ways of devel- oping relationships with customers is increasingly web based.”


Fletcher adds that employment in the UK electronics industry isn’t restricted to engineering graduates. “It isn’t enough to have the technical capability, these organisations also need graduates in the Arts to help develop the culture, look and feel as well as the multilingual capabilities of their new and constantly evolving ‘window on the world’. Although we often mock their contribution to industry those graduates in subjects like accounting, finance, health and safety also play an essential part.” In recommending a career in elec- tronics to anyone thinking about a future path to take, it is true, bright sixth formers with a science or engineering interest do have a wealth of potential degree options available to them. It is clear that ecsn executives openly believe that an electronic engi- neering or industry relevant degree is still very much a great way into an exciting industry that provides stimu- lating and rewarding careers.


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