Addressing The Engineering Skills Gap
According to a recent study there is growing evidence of a shortage of skills, particularly in industries such as engineering. Indeed as reported by the Telegraph, the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) recently found that almost half of the companies they surveyed said new recruits did not meet reasonable expectations for levels of skills .
However there are a number of initiatives currently being implemented aimed at stemming the tide of the growing skills crisis. Indeed only this week, the IET reported that MP's have pledged their support to help encourage employers within their constituencies to inspire young people to consider a career in the engineering and technology industries, for example by offering work experience and information about the number of exciting careers on offer within these sectors.
Support for the pledge follows findings from the IET's 2014 Engineering and Technology Skills and Demand in Industry survey which found evidence to indicate that over half of employers believe that it is necessary to change young people's perceptions of engineering and that they should become more actively involved with schools and even universities in order to achieve this.
As outlined by the chief executive of the IET Nigel Fine in the report, demand for engineers in the UK remains high. We need 87,000 new engineers each year for the next decade, so there is a critical need to do more to promote engineering as an appealing career choice to young people.
According to the BBC other groups such as The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) have also called for the government to make changes, such as reducing tuition fees for certain courses and offering re-training in order to increase the number of skilled technicians and participation in the engineering industry.
Furthermore the CBI argues that it is also important that firms receive help to aid them to retain older workers. The article quotes Katja Hall, chief policy director of CBI, as stating that it is increasingly clear that the really problematic shortages are at skilled technician level. We do have to play a long game on skills, creating more apprenticeships, but we also need policies for the short-term, including retraining existing workers with in-demand skills in key sectors.
Here at European Springs we know firsthand the importance of the engineering industry and are proud to be a part of it. Our team of engineers are passionate about great engineering and technology and are able to use their high levels of skills and experience to produce a wide range of products such as compression springs, which have a broad range of engineering applications. If you have any questions, or for more information about our range of products and services, please do not hesitate to contact us here at European Springs and one of our knowledgeable team will be happy to assist you with your enquiries.
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