Recruiting talented people is a challenge in many sectors but perhaps even more so for manufacturing. Understanding the career drivers is vital, and many of our engagement activities at Atlas Copco are based around listening to current apprentices and graduates.
What can we do better in 2016? I believe a segmented approach can be powerful as marketing the whole manufacturing industry as a career choice is too broad.
I particularly like some of the activities that the food industry has undertaken. The industry has combined degree courses in food engineering in a purpose-built centre, with high-level industry support from the leading food manufacturers.
In addition to talking at schools and universities, Atlas Copco supports the ‘Appetite for Skills’ initiative, aimed at 14 to 16-year-olds who are just beginning to have career conversations with parents and teachers. These sessions highlight the huge deficit in skilled people joining the industry, the opportunities that exist in a wide range of disciplines and the growing role of technology in food engineering and production.
With regards to the government’s proposed apprenticeship levy, I would like to see much more detail as I am not convinced that all apprenticeships are the same. Comparing the educational, technical and health and safety demands of an advanced apprenticeship in engineering with an apprenticeship is retail or hospitality is misguided. I would also hope to see close control over the quality of providers as the targets appear too focused on providing quantity.
I would also like to see some allowance for cost of provision. For example, the training and equipment supplied to a field-based apprentice is far greater than that of a factory-based trainee. Our advanced apprentices receive 100% training in years one and two, and around 60% training with 40% guided on-site learning in year 3. This reduces to 30% training, 30% guided on-site learning and 40% supported, but self-driven, on-site experience. With apprentices working towards membership of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, a minimum professional development quota of 40 hours per year and a total cost in excess of £100,000, I don’t believe that all apprenticeships are created equal.
