Engineering skills crisis requires collaborative action

Industry, educators and the government must work closely to improve the engineering skills pipeline according to the Institution of Engineering & Technology, which reported in December that half of engineering employers feel new recruits lack crucial technical and soft skills.

A survey conducted by the Institution showed that 49% of engineering companies currently experience difficulties with a lack of skills available in the external labour market, and 45% face skills gaps or limitations within their internal workforce.

The most common concern cited by respondents was missing engineering or technical skills, with significant gaps reported across all levels of the profession from technician or skilled craft level down to operative or semi-skilled levels.

“Workers are in high demand but we don’t have readily available recruits with the right skills to fill the labour market – something we have been reporting via the skills survey for the last 15 years,” said IET director of governance and external management Simon Edwards. “Frustratingly nothing has changed.”

He added: “We are urging more businesses to provide work experience opportunities for young people to help with the rollout of T-Levels and more apprenticeships. To solve this skills crisis there needs to be deeper engagement between government, employers, and the education system to produce a talent pipeline that can sustain a thriving UK economy.”

The impact of skills gaps means 45% of companies who see a skills shortage within young people provide additional training for apprentices and graduates who are new to the industry. However 25% said they recruit fewer apprentices and graduates as a result.

When asked what support businesses need from government to improve skills nationally, more funding for apprenticeships came out on top (54%), with greater support to train or reskill in priority areas (51%) and better careers advice and guidance in schools and colleges (49%) also coming out as popular asks.

IET’s report says there continues to be a mismatch between employers’ desire for new entrants to the workforce to have experience and the proportion engaging with educators to offer this experience. Employers who engage with educators have the opportunity to shape the skills pipeline for the industry, it says.

The report also urges engineering employers to ensure that they have a formal workforce development strategy and upskilling programs in place. Companies should also champion multiple areas of diversity in their workforce while sustainability and the push towards net zero should be embedded within current workforce planning, it says.