Age concern at the NEC

Many thanks to the panel of expert speakers on our Barriers to Training debate during the PPMA 2012 exhibition at the NEC last week.

Thanks also to our small audience, especially those who contributed to a lively Q&A session at the debate - not least the apprentices who flagged up some significant problems with the industrial training now on offer to young people in the UK.

Another issue highlighted was demography.

Speaking to representatives on the stands at the show, panelist Neil Smith of the National Skills Academy Process Industries found a common view that training was not really an issue for their companies. This, he said, was until they were asked about the age profile of the workforce.

Seems that many manufacturers are still ignoring the potential impact of skills shortages and retirements on their businesses over the next few years.

(Process Engineering will include a report on the Barriers to Training debate in our Nov/Dec issue. Register to receive the magazine by clicking the Process Engineering Registration link)