Read: Maintaining the engineering talent pipeline

Engineers are the world’s problem solvers. You can see their legacy everywhere – from iconic structures like the pyramids or aqueducts to technological wonders we encounter every day, like the light bulb or telephone. They develop and refine products to address issues that impact every area of our lives, across every industry.

In a world where technological change is a feature of daily lives, and integral to our futures, engineering expertise is evident everywhere - in our infrastructure, connectivity and transport. It is targeted at some of our most pressing challenges, from clean energy to healthcare to security and defence. There is a huge range of careers for different types of engineer, from aerospace to medical, from chemical to agricultural. Some design buildings and bridges, some create robots or helicopters. They have a crucial part to play in our local and national economies.

But there is a growing problem. In a world where the speed of change in digitalisation and green technology is ever more apparent, we are already facing a shortage of engineers. That problem is only likely to get worse as the demand for their skills increases.

Purpose Coalition Chair, Rt Hon Justine Greening, on a recent visit to a Leonardo UK site

Engineering UK has warned that it could be short of a million workers by 2030 which would inevitably lead to delays in vital infrastructure projects. It recently commissioned research into how the sector has changed in recent years and what its future needs will be. The resulting report highlighted the growing importance of the sector but also the scale of the demand it faces. It found that there were approximately 6.1 million engineering jobs (including tech roles) across all industries in 2021, representing around 19% of all jobs in the UK. At the same time, in the past year, recruitment activity for engineering roles accounted for 25% of all job postings in the UK. That seems to indicate that the skills shortage in engineering is greater than in other areas and that demand for engineers is predicted to grow more quickly than for other occupations.

There has been significant growth in ‘green engineering’ roles, driven particularly by the development of solutions to help adapt to and fight climate change. The report found that postings for such jobs have increased by 55% in the past five years and those requiring green skills increased by 48%. These feature across a number of engineering sectors, from civil and electrical through to ICT and software.  

There is concern that this year’s A-Level entries have shown a decline in design and technology (D&T) and physics, especially among girls. Although applications to engineering degrees are holding up, there are concerns that the sector is still not attractive enough to young people and needs an image change if it is to appeal to young people at school and university.

Engineering UK’s CEO, Dr Hilary Leevers, has called for a robust plan to attract and train a future workforce, bringing more young people from all backgrounds into engineering and technology, alongside reskilling the current workforce. While there is a role for government in any future strategy, businesses themselves have a vital part to play in attracting and developing a robust pipeline of talent to ensure that the sector has the skilled workers it needs.

Chair of the Purpose Coalition and former Education Secretary, Rt Hon Justine Greening, said: “ We have been working with a range of businesses on their social impact where engineering skills are at the heart of what they do. What is clear is that the best are laser-focused on nurturing a talent pipeline that will ensure their workforces – now and in the future – are equipped with the skills needed to meet the growing demand for green, technological change. That means engaging with local schools and colleges to make young people more aware of the opportunities that STEM subjects can offer and the range of careers they can open up, including engineering. It also means offering apprenticeships as well as graduate positions to develop employees on the job as well as attracting a more diverse workforce from a range of backgrounds.

“I was proud to join aerospace company, Leonardo, this week to celebrate its base at Yeovil in Somerset as the official home of British helicopters. It has a long-established engineering and manufacturing hub in the town with an extensive 750-strong supply chain that supports 12,000 jobs around the UK. Its close engagement with Yeovil College and the STEM outreach programmes it operates across the region help to inspire the next generation of engineers, as well as maintain a skills base and cutting-edge research that facilitate its continued competitiveness on a world stage. It also demonstrates the contribution that a purpose-led company can make to its communities, providing opportunity for the long-term.”

Other Coalition partners are similarly making a difference in their communities, building skilled and resilient workforces. As an energy company, bp delivers a comprehensive programme of outreach to inform and inspire young people about the opportunities that STEM subjects can offer, including in engineering, and run a range of initiatives that specifically target girls who are underrepresented in the engineering profession. In the construction industry, Tarmac recruits from every part of the communities where it operates and its engineers have worked on some of the most iconic projects of the last century. In the transport sector, Southeastern Railways have committed to sector-leading targets to attract and develop women in all roles in what was a previously male-dominated industry, ensuring that the careers it offers are open to everyone.  

These businesses demonstrate that purposeful thinking on how best to attract, develop and retain talent from every part of the community pays dividends. It creates opportunities for individuals who have rewarding and well-paid careers and for their communities who reap the rewards of jobs and greater prosperity. It also generates a skilled workforce who can help to tackle the challenges that we face. Their best practice is important if we are to grow the talent pipeline for tomorrow’s problem solvers.