Cyber security and robotics “priorities”

The report, Ones to Watch, says investment in skills and research is needed to support the growth the six key sectors, which are: space, robotics, 3D printing, new energy networks, food manufacturing and cyber security.

“This report shows that these promising and exciting industry areas offer the UK tremendous opportunity for growth and global leadership,” said IET chief executive Nigel Fine.

“But the biggest barrier to that growth is meeting the need for high numbers of engineers and technicians with an increasingly transformational skillset – especially as these industries grow and new jobs are created. Investment and faster adaption of new technology are also important factors for them to address.”

As the concept of cyber security widens out to embrace physical systems, this will be reflected in demand for engineering skills

Professor Tim Watson

Of particular relevance to the process industries was the report’s focus on improving cyber security to apply to physical systems such as major industrial complexes.

“As the concept of cyber security widens out to embrace physical systems, this will be reflected in demand for engineering skills,” said professor Tim Watson, director of the Cyber Security Centre at Warwick University.

“We will need engineers with expertise that combines areas such as materials science and electromagnetism with cyber security.”

Likewise the increasingly important issue of food security will drive demand for more engineers with chemistry expertise, says the report.

“In many respects we need transferable engineering skills of the type that you would also see in, say, the nuclear or car industries,” said consultant David Hobin.

“However, there will also be a requirement for additional knowledge of food biology and chemistry. Engineering in this sector will play an important part in providing higher yields sustainably. As such, the contribution of engineers will not only help protect the UK and the world from the economic impact of ‘food price shocks’, it will also assist in securing the wellbeing of hungry populations.”

For report contributor and Shadow Robots managing director Rich Walker, investing in robotics is the one area that will pay dividends across a range of industrial sectors.

“Robotics and autonomous intelligent systems are areas of science in which the UK has world class expertise, but to reap the full benefits for the economy and society we need to get better at applying the technology to industry,” said Walker.

“An ageing society, food harvesting, nuclear decommissioning, manufacturing competitiveness: robotics is, I think, the only industry that can speak to all of those challenges.”

To read the full report, click on the pdf file link above.