Simply 'the best'

London - The era of spin has put the UK among the best in the world at saying “we’re the best in the world”. The reality is that too often large sections of industrial activility here fall well short of world class - something the government tacitly acknowledges with every new initiative to recover the science & engineering skills base from long-term decline.

There are, of course, many notable exceptions to the mediocrity, not least the world-scale projects being delivered by UK-based EPC firms and engineers on the international stage. More representative, though, is news of problems such as the recent industria disputes on major energy projects and skills gaps in sectors such as oil & gas, where an estimated 50% of the engineering and project management workforce is due to retire by 2015.

Enter Ed Miliband, who has recently unveiled ambitious plans to kick-start carbon capture and storage in the UK. The strategy, he promises, will enable the UK to lead the world in the development and application of this technology, and offer industry, universities and scientists the opportunity to create a new industry here that could sustain 50,000 jobs.

“With a reliable stream of finance, we are investing in British skills so our industries can lead carbon capture and storage, not just within Britain, but at power stations around the world,” the minister for Energy and Climate Change announced.

But as well as funding mechanisms, the successful development of CCS - and, indeed, any other promising area of industry - will require a strong and vibrant process engineering sector with all the infrastructural, training, regulatory and political support that this entails.

Anything less will simply fail.

Please email your views to the editor: patrick.raleigh@centaur.co.uk