Review calls for young engineers

Professor John Perkins, chief scientific advisor to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), and author of the review, has highlighted the challenges currently faced by the engineering industry and the importance of attracting future engineering talent.

EEF chief executive Terry Scuoler said: “The report rightly shines the spotlight on the need for a pipeline of talented future engineers, with credible recommendations on how this can be achieved.”

The review makes over 20 recommendations and includes a call for industrialists, professional bodies and educators to work together to ensure the UK’s engineering base is ‘fit-for-purpose’.

The low levels of participation by young women in engineering are a major concern to everyone in the profession

IChemE chief executive Dr David Brown

Professor Perkins said: “I have highlighted the challenges currently faced by the engineering industry and the importance of all partners working together to attract future engineering talent in order to grow the UK economy.”

It is suggested that, to avoid a skills shortage, the UK will need over 100,000 new engineers, scientists and technologists every year until 2020.

Engineering bodies have welcomed the review but have argued that more young people, especially girls aged 11-14, need better incentives to take up careers in engineering.

IChemE chief executive Dr David Brown said: “We welcome this review and believe it is a firm foundation for attracting more young people to the engineering profession, improving education standards and avoiding skill shortages in the long-term.”

However, Brown added that “the low levels of participation by young women in engineering are a major concern to everyone in the profession”.

The review comes alongside a government announcement that it will make almost £49 million available in funding for engineering skills. £250,000 of which will go to the Tomorrow’s Engineers campaign, designed to encourage young people to consider careers in engineering.

Similarly, the review also discussed proposed changes to apprenticeships. The accreditation of apprenticeships by professional bodies will help “make them more attractive to young people”, according to Brown.

However, if the Perkins Review is to be realised across the engineering industry, “only an ‘all hands on deck’ approach can address the problem with conviction,” Institution of Engineering and Technology chief executive Nigel Fine said.