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APPRENTICESHIPS...

Engineering the future

Albert Einstein said: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me
and I learn.” With skilled engineers in short supply, providing the next generation with
vocational hands-on training is essential. Stewart Goulding, managing director at
EMS, explains how apprenticeships are benefiting the engineering sector

espite over 700,000 people many will require further training on specific
participating in an apprenticeship equipment and procedures. In fact, according to the
between 2018 – 2019, the number of Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), 60
Dnew apprenticeships being started has per cent of engineering and technology employers
fallen over the past decade. However, with believe the shortage of skilled recruits is a barrier to
technology rapidly advancing and the skills gap achieving business goals.
growing, engineering companies must increase Apprenticeships can be designed with the
investment in future recruits to remain competitive company’s future needs in mind. Current and
and productive. Apprenticeships offer the ideal potential skill gaps in the company can be
opportunity to mould the future generation and identified, allowing the development of specialised
better business. training and apprenticeship programmes. For
Engineering is a highly technical and diverse example, Miguel Millan, an apprentice at EMS,
industry. Sourcing recruits that have the relevant began his training by scanning in technical
qualifications and skills is difficult, and even then, drawings, but is now a design engineer working on

June 2020 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA! • p4