Filling the STEM skills gap 16/12/2011
Posted by CBSbutler Ltd in Apprenticeships, skills shortages.Tags: apprenticeships, engineers, skills shortage, STEM, Surrey SATRO, talent shortage, unemployment
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UK unemployment has now hit a 17 year high with the total number of unemployed people now reaching a staggering 2.64m and the number of young people out of work remaining above 1 million.
Yet a recent report from the Confederation of British Industry, quoted in the Guardian, revealed that 59% of employers are having problems finding staff with STEM skills. The report also highlighted predictions that the situation will worsen over the next three years. In order to tackle the problem the introduction of more apprenticeships may be the answer.
Apprenticeships offer a paid alternative to those who cannot afford tuition fees or extended periods of time without pay whilst studying for qualifications. They offer young people seeking employment the opportunity to earn a wage whilst working alongside experienced staff to gain job specific skills. The Government is making efforts to tackle the skills shortage by introducing a scheme for businesses to develop vocational training programmes. From early 2012, employers will be able to bid for a share of the new £250million Government fund to invest in their training schemes and develop apprenticeships. However vocational qualifications such as apprenticeships have the perception of being a lower value qualification than the academic route. In my opinion, this is simply not true and this message needs to reinforced form an earlier stage in education.
UK businesses need to start working with schools and supporting initiatives to highlight the benefits of STEM subjects, and encourage younger people onto science, technology, engineering and maths careers. Experiencing firsthand the shortages in the industry, we encourage teachers to dispel the myth that these subjects are geeky and discover how fun maths and science can be in order to entice them to study these as part of their GCSE subjects. Each year we hold an annual Festival of Science and Engineering with SATRO (a charity aimed at increasing the number of pupils taking up STEM subjects) and provide funding, PR promotion and judging support for various school competitions.
Let us know what you think. What more can be done to entice UK businesses to offer apprenticeships? What do you feel could help encourage young people into STEM careers?
British manufacturing not dead yet! 11/11/2011
Posted by CBSbutler Ltd in highly skilled, jobs.Tags: AWR, employees, engineers, Manufacturing, talent shortage
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Recently I was interviewed by Recruiter magazine about the staffing trends in the UK manufacturing sector. You can read the full article here, but here’s a summary of the important points.
There has been lots of doom and gloom talked about when discussing manufacturing lately, especially in regards to the Eurozone. But British manufacturing is by no means dead.
There is no denying that this sector has its fair share of obstacles. Yes, there is a particular challenge in regards to price sensitivity due to competition from countries with lower cost bases (such as many of the Far East), and the UK is also burdened with the newly implemented Agency Workers Regulations, but if you dig down it is not all negative.
The UK’s manufacturing sector has actually grown this year with the only real blip seen in August. This slight decrease can be simply explained by the seasonal period with many people going on holiday during August and Ramadan in the Middle East. But generally the sector is not doing so badly, especially specialist component manufacturers with large export order books which have seen to be robust.
There is a real demand in this country for skilled workers, especially with experience. We need to manage this talent as these people will help our manufacturing companies to thrive for years to come.
Engineering graduates in unskilled jobs 28/09/2011
Posted by CBSbutler Ltd in future engineers.Tags: employees, graduates, Surrey SATRO, talent shortage, training
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A recent report has found that only 46% of engineering graduates are managing to find work in this field, with almost a quarter performing ‘non-graduate’ roles such as shop work and waiting tables.
The research from Birmingham University states that it is “not easy or automatic” for qualified engineers to find related employment in the UK. The findings of the report will come as a surprise to many, as the industry has repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of good quality science and engineering graduates.
However it has been argued that the shortage of graduates employed is a result of the lack of practical workplace experience and employability skills they posses. Graduates now need to do more to develop business skills like team-working and self-management in order to have the best possible chance of finding a job. Therefore UK organisations need to do more to help them by offering more placements to undergraduates to help them gain valuable hands on experience and gain a deeper understanding of the industry. Engineering business could also link with universities to provide employment initiatives to students where they are taught, through a serious of workshops, team building and communication skills that would help them in future employment.
A number of schemes have already been launched (such as EDT, the largest provider of STEM enrichment activities for UK youth) to actively encourage students to take up the subject, as well related fields, like maths and the sciences at an earlier stage of their education to tackle this problem. Here at CBSbutler we support the annual SATRO Science and Engineering Festival, a charity aimed at increasing the number of pupils taking up STEM subjects at GCSE and A-Levels, and then going on to choose a career in this field.
It’s a start. But there’s still a long way to go, so what more can we be doing to help our graduates? Let us know what you think.
Britain’s brain drain 15/09/2011
Posted by CBSbutler Ltd in CBSbutler, future engineers, highly skilled, skills shortages.Tags: engineers, talent shortage
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A report from the immigration think tank MigrationWatch has revealed that more than a million of the highest-qualified and best-trained Britons are moving abroad. The study also exposes that no other country loses as many university graduates through emigration as the UK.
This brain drain has resulted in Britain’s most talented and skilled moving to countries such as Australia, Germany and the US in order to boost their careers. Research from GfK (one of the largest market research companies in the world) suggests that people are driven by a desire to escape the high costs of living and the static wages of the country.
UK businesses face a significant loss of talent just at the time when they need it the most. The UK Border Agency Shortage Occupation list includes civil engineers, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers among others. It has been suggested that not enough efforts are being made to keep the brightest and the best in the country.
The brain drain is apparently higher among younger workers with 36% of those aged 18-29 willing to move. This is already beginning to impact on the UK engineering market in particular, which is now facing problems of an ageing workforce and not enough new talent to cover the deficit.
What needs to be done?
As talent plays an important role in helping a country develop, more needs to be done to keep hold of our skilled workers. The technical and engineering sector needs to cultivate a sense of security and hope among the elite and demonstrate confidence in the UK’s economy. The industry therefore needs to provide more competitive packages to workers to stay in the country such as employers offering subsidised training, and apprenticeships.
Other ways to encourage Britain’s talent into the UK industry could be to offer financial incentives to university students on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses, or for engineering graduates to pay less tuition fees than other subjects.
At CBSbutler we are trying to tackle this issue by supporting initiatives that encourage younger people into science, technology, engineering and maths careers. Experiencing firsthand the shortages in the industry, which is set to continue in the following years, we encourage teachers to dispel the myth that these subjects are geeky and discover how fun maths and science can be. Each year we hold an annual Festival of Science and Engineering with SATRO (a charity aimed at increasing the number of pupils taking up STEM subjects) and provide funding, PR promotion and judging support for various school competitions.
Let us know what you think. What more can be done to keep Britain’s talent at home?
Pledge for more apprenticeships – is it realistic? 11/04/2011
Posted by CBSbutler Ltd in Apprenticeships.Tags: Engineering, talent shortage
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A key announcement in the Budget was the pledge to invest a further £180m to create 50,000 more apprenticeships this year, bringing the total to 360,000. A welcome announcement to advocates of apprenticeships, which I for one certainly am.
In fact, I have blogged before about the benefits, especially in the engineering sector. In an industry crying out for talent, an apprenticeship can provide valuable experience and skills, not to mention an alternative route into a career that would usually require a university degree at huge cost. However, a recent article in the Telegraph suggests that the pledge made by Osborne is no more than ‘window dressing’. (more…)
Women engineers – where are they? 10/03/2011
Posted by CBSbutler Ltd in CBSbutler, Development, Engagement, Engineering, future engineers, highly skilled, Recruitment, skills shortages, women.Tags: Engineering, engineers, talent shortage, women
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Did you know that only 7% of engineers in the UK are women? This is the lowest number of women professionals in this sector in Europe – compared to 18% in Spain, 26% in Sweden and 20% in Italy. This research has been carried out by the UKRC, the leading UK organisation working to promote women’s participation in science, engineering and technology.
Jobs market “on road to recovery” – but where are our future engineers? 26/01/2011
Posted by CBSbutler Ltd in CBSbutler, Defence, Engineering, future engineers, KPMG, science, skills shortages.Tags: Engineering, engineers, talent shortage
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A recent report, led by professional services firm KPMG, declares “the jobs market is on the road to recovery”. In particular it states that December saw the biggest increase in demand in 6 months for temporary staff in the engineering sector. The report also shows that employers within this sector are experiencing a shortage of skills in permanent staff.
Engineers of the future 30/03/2010
Posted by CBSbutler Ltd in CBSbutler, Engineering.Tags: Engineering, Surrey SATRO, talent shortage
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According to a report by the Engineering and Technology board, the UK needs 60,000 engineers over the next seven years. However population changes mean that the number of school leavers will decline by 16% by 2019, leaving a reduced talent pool. (more…)
