Recent statistics have shown that nearly 20% of the current engineering workforce within the UK is set to be retired by 2026. So how do we tackle this problem?
This statistic means that around 500,000 of the most experienced and skilled engineers, technicians, operators and leaders leaving the industry in 36 months. This is a worrying premise, especially when you consider the makeup of the industrial workforce.
Within UK manufacturing, most workers are over 40 years of age, with the average age being 52. The majority of apprentices are aged between 16 and 24, which leaves a sizeable gap in the middle. This is the group that typically provides team leaders, supervisors, department heads and managers but it has effectively been hollowed out in recent years.
Ultimately, organisations within UK industry need to take responsibility and work together to help solve this problem, close the skills gap, and encourage the next generation of talented workers to take up a career within this fantastic sector.
To help in addressing this challenge, organisations such as Made in Group are working to promote the industry and showcase the opportunities available in manufacturing. Made in Group, comprised of Made in the Midlands and Made in Yorkshire, helps manufacturing companies with their recruitment efforts by connecting them with potential employees and providing training and development opportunities for existing staff.
Made Futures is an initiative that was established by Made in Group to promote the manufacturing industry and address the skills gap. This initiative is designed to inspire young people to consider a career in manufacturing by providing them with information about the industry and the opportunities available.
Through the innovative digital platform which Made in Group have developed, both Midlands and Yorkshire members can easily post all of their job vacancies onto the Made Futures jobs board. From there, these vacancies are shared out to Made in Group's network of thousands, including through high-traffic website pages and popular social media platforms.