CSR: Skills gains and losses
22 Oct 2010
The process sector seems to have escaped the worst of the spending cuts, at least based on initial reactions posted in our report on this week’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) announcement (see PE article).
However, there could be much ‘devil’ in the detail, as well, of course, as in the impact of public sector cutbacks on markets served by our industries.
On the other hand, the public sector’s loss could well be industry’s gain on the skills front.
Many engineers come into the process industries via careers in the army, navy and RAF, and their numbers are likely to swell over the next few years as a result of the cutbacks.
Recognising this, the government has set up the Skills and Jobs Retention Group, an industry-led group to help redeploy skilled engineers affected by defence sector cuts.
The new group will be chaired by WS Atkins chairman Allan Cook, and comprise a small team of senior industry figures.
Hopefully, Cook, who also chairs SEMTA (Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies), and his team will also address the impact of the defence cuts on engineering apprenticeships and training for young people.
