Editor’s choice
Closing the skills gap in manufacturing and engineering
By Serena Cooper, QMS International
per cent of businesses currently feeling the strain from a lack of skilled workers. So, what are the major factors contributing
I
to the skills gap, how is it affecting the industry and what can be done to close the skills gap?
What haS CauSed the SkIllS gap? Changing workforce The competition for talent is high and for many, there is also a struggle to secure the talent they need. An ageing workforce means experienced workers are retiring faster than new workers entering the industry. According to a government study,186,000 skilled engineers are needed annually until 2024 to plug the skills gap, and almost 20 per cent of the current workforce is due to retire by 2026 according to the ECITB. As these older workers leave the workforce, they take valuable knowledge and skills with them.
Changing skill set Not only has the pandemic disrupted training which has reduced the inflow of newly qualified staff but the demand for a tech- driven workforce means new workers need to be equipped with skills for the future. A report from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) revealed that 71 per cent of the UK engineering workforce who are experiencing internal skills gaps say it is down to missing engineering or technical skills. With the spread of automation,
digitalisation, and robotics in the manufacturing industry, roles in the supply chain are changing. The pace at which this technological change has advanced means a
10
t is no secret that UK engineering and manufacturing are suffering a massive skills shortage. While open positions remain unfilled in many sectors, a report by Search Consultancy found that the engineering and manufacturing industry is the worst affected with 85
shortage in the skills required to keep up. Having people with the right skills will be key to driving the industry forwards.
Changing world The events of the last few years have also played their part with the manufacturing industry still in recovery mode. The effects of Brexit have been felt, with 11 per cent of the manufacturing sector’s workforce coming from the EU, the UK’s departure has intensified the skills shortages. Without the free flow of workers from EU countries, there is a shortage of skilled workers to plug the gap. On top of this, the additional trading costs and paperwork that have come with the UK’s departure from the EU have added more pressure on businesses. It is a pressure that has been intensified
by Covid-19 and in the aftermath of major upheaval from the pandemic, businesses continue to face challenges of complex global supply chains, changing demands and volatility in the industry.
August 2022 Instrumentation Monthly
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102
