There appears to be little new in SEMTA's document – Skills Vision, an 8000 word distillation of a sector survey. The document calls for much the same things as others have in the last few years – employer engagement in schools, preparing young people for work, apprenticeships, encouraging women and minorities to take up engineering careers and so on.
Despite these recurring calls, nothing appears to change; whatever the colour of the Government, skills never quite makes it to the top of the agenda.
And yet we are told the UK's economy needs to be rebalanced towards manufacturing. Even without this rebalancing, industry will need 830,000 new science, engineering and technology (SET) professionals and 450,000 SET technicians between now and 2020, says SEMTA.
New Electronics has supported, where it can, previous initiatives and was involved in a bid to organise an industry wide scheme to promote the opportunities available in the electronics sector to schools. However, there are good point solutions, but there is little in the way of coordination.
In January, I wrote in a blog addressing a report addressing the shortfall in engineering staff:
"For the last few years, EngineeringUK, amongst others, has been pointing to this shortfall and saying the number of people following engineering related subjects at university must increase. And every year, there seems to be little change in the numbers.
The report also points to a weakness in careers advice and guidance; again, something that will come as no surprise to those who have taken an interest in this issue.
The obligatory comment from Vince Cable said: "We're working hard to make sure we have the skills we need in 2022 and beyond, but we need to work with industry to make sure we inspire the engineers of tomorrow, today."
So, Vince, why isn't the Government doing just that and knocking the heads of industry leaders together?
Now the question is whether Sajid Javid, the new Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), will grasp the nettle or come up with a statement as bland as that of Vince Cable?
But it's not just a matter for BIS; these changes will need sign up from other departments, including Education. And the changes will more than likely need money at a time when the Chancellor is looking to cut £13billion from Government spending.
If you, as an employer, want to change things for the better, why not get involved with your local schools and universities or set up an apprenticeship scheme?
