News Industry Comment Siemens opens first apprentice factory
It is good to back at the helm of FE after more than seven years’ absence and at a time too when the future looks a little more promising for manufacturing with output and optimism on the up. Encouraging too are the strides being made in attracting young blood to the industry: our main story on this page highlights an initiative being taken by Siemens to give apprentices the tools to take on leadership roles and responsibility in both engineer- ing and business management skills - hats off to them! So while the sur- vey conducted by Engineering UK makes sobering reading, it is impor- tant to remember that there are organisations striving to address the situation - and we will be following the progress of Siemens’ Junior Factory with great interest over the coming months and look out for others taking a leaf out of their book. Wishing you all a successful 2014.
Susan Deane Editor
Mattei welcomes ISO 11011:2013
Rotary vane compressor manu- facturer Mattei has welcomed the official introduction of the new international standard ISO 11011:2013, Compressed air – Energy efficiency – Assessment. Introduced in August 2013 it contains a framework for the assessment and auditing of com- pressed air systems.
Mattei believes that ISO 11011 will help standardise the energy audits offered by compressor manufacturers and compressed air equipment suppliers and is strongly encouraging end users to have their systems audited in line with the framework in order to reduce their energy consump- tion and improve efficiency.
www.mattei.co.uk 4
Siemens opened the first Junior Factory for apprentices at its award-winning Congleton facil- ity during the Government's flag- ship Tomorrows Engineers Week. Opened by UK and Ireland chief executive Roland Aurich it will act as a 'small factory within a factory' run by commercial and technical apprentices aged 16-21. They will take on key leader- ship roles and be responsible for the full breadth of the factory's progress. The initiative is open to all apprentices and graduates as part of Siemens' plans to train young people both in engineering and business management. The Junior Factory will manu-
facture a sub-assembly for supply into production previously imported and represent a re- shoring of domestic manufactur- ing. The team will be responsible for sourcing and supply chain management, production of sub- assemblies, quality management, budgeting, transfer pricing and performance management. A business case about how they see the factory working was prepared by the team and pre- sented to the senior management board earlier this year. Initially the factory will be responsible for the complete supply chain for assembly of fans for use within Siemens G120C drives and the
team will have complete owner- ship for the value chain. "I never thought that as part of an apprenticeship I would be given the opportunity to take on this level of responsibility,” com- ments Richard Lawton who is acting as head of the Junior Factory. “I am really looking for- ward to working with the team to make the project a success over the coming year and learning about how running a full assem- bly line works in practice." The apprentices will be responsible for ensuring that cus- tomer demands are fulfilled in the most cost effective way. They will be responsible for the cre- ation of an annual budget and be given a productivity challenge on an annual basis.
4 From left: Richard Lawton, Roland Aurich and Oliver Nicholls
Government must do more to address skills shortages in manufacturing
Britain's largest union Unite is urging the government to do more to get young people, particularly girls, interested in engineering. A survey by Engineering UK to mark the start of Tomorrow’s Engineer's Week (4-8 November) shows that only half of 11-14 year olds would consider a career in engineering, less than one in 10 (7%) plan to be engineers once they finish their education and girls in particular are not attracted to engineering as a career option - with 65% saying they would not consider a career in engineering. Few school children, particularly girls, are choosing the GCSEs, A Levels, apprenticeships, degrees or other vocational pathways that will lead to engineering careers. “The government is making the right noises but there is not enough action,” comments Unite assistant general secretary Tony Burke.
“There is a real lack of careers advice in schools and colleges to inspire and get young people, particularly young women, excited about manufacturing. “Young people, teachers and parents have the wrong image of manufacturing - it's not oily and smelly it is hi-tech and creative. “The UK needs a new skills system similar to Germany where young people start looking at a skilled appren- ticeship in their early teens and under- take education about skills and the world of work before they leave school. Skill shortages will get even worse in the future unless we change course.” In November Unite launched its new strategy for manufacturing: Made In Britain - with skills and apprenticeships a key focus. Next year the union will be involved in promoting events to attract more young women and men into apprenticeships within manufacturing.
www.unitetheunion.org www.cbi.org.uk NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 Factory Equipment
"This ground-breaking project is a great opportunity for tomor- row's engineers to get the training and experience they need to establish a successful career,” observes Matthew Hancock MP, Minister for Skills at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. “The Junior Factory is a fantastic example of how we can innovate to plug skills gaps and help the UK get ahead in the global race."
www.siemens.co.uk
Optimism rises among UK SMEs
Optimism about the business sit- uation rose at the fastest pace since records began in 1988 among small and medium-sized manufacturers on the back of improving demand and output, according to the CBI's latest SME Trends Survey. Total new orders increased in the three months to October for the first time since July 2012, driven by domestic orders which rose at their fastest rate since January 1995. Export orders rose at their fastest rate since April 2011 while optimism around export prospects for the next 12 months increased strongly. Alongside the improvement in demand output rose modestly and is expected to pick up at a faster pace over the next three months, accompanied by a fur- ther improvement in orders.
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