{"id":81799,"date":"2020-09-01T10:58:27","date_gmt":"2020-09-01T09:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=81799"},"modified":"2020-09-01T10:58:27","modified_gmt":"2020-09-01T09:58:27","slug":"uk-engineering-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/hr-skills-news\/uk-engineering-skills\/81799\/","title":{"rendered":"Skills transferability key to recovery of UK engineering"},"content":{"rendered":"

Government and industry need a better understanding of how skilled workers can move between sectors to help\u00a0 UK engineering prevent lasting unemployment, says the ECITB<\/a><\/h2>\n

New research \u2013 \u2018Skills Transferability in the Engineering Construction Industry\u2019 \u2013 reveals the similarities in skills of engineers<\/a> in the many sectors that support Britain\u2019s energy and processing infrastructure, from renewables to oil and gas, nuclear and pharmaceuticals.<\/p>\n

It also identifies barriers to skills transferability, such as ingrained workplace attitudes and recruitment practices that compartmentalise trades and occupations unnecessarily and place an unhelpful restriction on the mobility of workers.<\/p>\n

The research, carried out on behalf of the ECITB by Pye Tait Consulting<\/a>, comprised desk research and interviews with 30 employers, 13 stakeholders and five recruitment agencies as well as a workshop with the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group (NSSG).<\/p>\n

With the most severe economic impact from Covid-19<\/a> felt in the oil and gas industry, a sector already under pressure \u2013 the ECITB asserts that with proper planning and coordination, the pandemic presents an opportunity to accelerate transition to a carbon-free economy.<\/p>\n

However, if we do not act quickly, we risk losing thousands of engineers who have the requisite skills to deliver decarbonisation.<\/p>\n

In response, the ECITB is urging the UK, Welsh and Scottish governments to put in place measures to support the reskilling of oil and gas workers for jobs in other sectors and industries to support the transition away from fossil fuels.<\/p>\n

Prevent lasting unemployment<\/h3>\n

Chris Claydon, chief executive of the ECITB, said: \u201cBefore the pandemic hit, the UK\u2019s engineering construction industry faced persistent skills shortages<\/a> and despite the economic downturn and current pressures, our expectation is that overall workforce demand will continue to exceed supply over the coming decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile skills transferability is pursued to a limited extent through the UK Government\u2019s National Retraining Scheme, with careful planning and greater focus on sectoral needs, many highly skilled roles that are transferable across engineering construction sectors could be more easily moved.<\/p>\n

\u201cEconomic pressures from Covid-19 and oil price depression could see the UK haemorrhage skilled workers. The government needs to act quickly on this dual opportunity to deliver against our net-zero commitment and prevent lasting unemployment in our industrial heartlands.\u201d<\/p>\n

The report recommends:<\/h3>\n