The UK engineering sector has been through a torrid time in the past 18 months. From project cancellations to a growing skills gap, the industry is in need of government support, but the Autumn Budget brought mixed news for the sector. Some skills funding was announced, but critical R&D spending was postponed.
How can the government best support engineering businesses? First, the industry has a pressing skills gap that means it is experiencing the second-highest rate of vacancies behind the IT/computing sector, highlighting how vital it is to address this shortage sooner rather than later.
The announcement of an additional £3.8 billion in funding to improve apprenticeships and T Levels is welcome news because many engineering qualifications fall into vocational education. However, EngineeringUK expressed disappointment that the government didn’t heed its call for an extra £40 million dedicated to STEM education in schools and further education.
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