16 AEROSPACEMANUFACTURING | jANUARy 2010
Aero-skills Panel Session: (from left to right) Paul Shakspeare, Andy Leather, Neil McKay, John Whalley, Dr Thurai Rahulan.
our industry
NEEdS yOU!
What are the solutions to the qualified personnel shortages currently facing the UK
aerospace industry? Mike Richardson heard the views from the Aero-skills Panel
Session held during AeroEngineering in Manchester last November.
A
ccording to the Aerospace develop their skills, so look at what will suffer from skills shortages and provide
Industries Association (AIA), keep them in that job. The industry is careers of progression when we talk to
there is a real shortage of only as strong as the weakest link so it’s schoolchildren and colleges.”
engineering skills. The association up to us to strengthen it.” Paul Shakspeare, West of England
underlines this with the fact that, with Aerospace Forum: “It’s important
more career choices to choose from, Find the right image to start with those children entering
people tend to consider cool industries The first question raised the topic secondary education and work through
over engineering. The challenge is to of hot jobs and that the term ‘manual a community-based approach where
ensure that aerospace engineering is seen skills’ doesn’t present the right image industry is part of these communities.
as a cool industry too. for engineering. Do we have an image Show children the clean factories as
Hosting the panel session, The problem within aerospace and how can opposed to the dirty ones. Leave it too
Performance Review Institute’s (PRI) we improve it? late, and social views start to form, so
senior operations specialist, Joanna Leigh Neil McKay, chairman, North it’s important that teachers, parents and
said that the correct approach required West Aerospace Alliance: “The society work together. The industry must
talent management. manual operative description creates identify locations where we can invite
“There are many talented people an impression that someone will be young people to become interested in
available, but you must reconcile them moving into a career where they will be engineering.”
to your business needs. Look internally standing behind a machine tool for the Andy Leather, director AeIGT
to see if you already have people with rest of their working life. We need to programmes, A|D|S: “Our industry
potential, because recruitment can be dispel this image immediately and sell our has much to celebrate, but we don’t do it
costly and with many nuances to it. Once industry as a variety and depth of careers enough. We must make cultural changes
you have the right people, understand across a working lifespan of industry to create the right image, but we need
how to keep and motivate them, because experience in different subsectors of to celebrate success and not be scared of
it’s not just about money. Young people activities. We have the means to progress doing it. Equally, we must tolerate failure
want recognition and opportunities to young people into other areas that also too. If you’re involved in a development
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