York and Cardiff Universities join UK Electronics Skills Foundation

The 47% decline in those choosing the subject at degree level has made it difficult to source engineers with the requisite skills and experience. The UKESF, a collaboration of public bodies, private companies and leading UK universities, was therefore set up to ensure that the industry is supplied with the quality of talent to enable it to continue to be innovative, competitive and able to provide high value jobs to support the wider economy. It aims to have 160 new undergraduate scholarships each year, with 10 UKESF partner universities and 100 sponsor companies signed up by 2014. Founding partners include NMI, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and SEMTA, as well as industry partners ARM, CSR, Dialog Semiconductor and Imagination Technologies. York and Cardiff will join the five founding university members Bristol, Edinburgh, Imperial College London, Southampton and Surrey. Bill Parsons, executive vice president of HR at ARM and a member of the UKESF strategic advisory board commented: "The biggest success stories in any industry come from organisations that nurture talent at grass root levels. These additions to the list of UKESF partner universities will help ensure the best students are given the opportunities they need to develop; and this is a solid step in maintaining the UK electronics industry's global competitiveness." Profesor Karen Holford, pictured, head of Cardiff's School of Engineering said: "Here in the School of Engineering we are extremely proud of our laboratory facilities and ability to ensure our students receive excellent pastoral care as well as the education, training and inspiration required to enable them to become future industry leaders. UKESF membership will facilitate further industrial interaction, beyond our extensive existing industrial partnerships, enhancing Cardiff University's high quality degree provision."