Cover story: UK skills take centre stage

Today, the figures speak for themselves. Of the 300,000 graduates in the UK each year, only 24,000 are from engineering disciplines – and, of those, only 13,000 are UK students. A number of UK initiatives have been established to tackle this skills gap, but Juergen Maier, managing director for Siemens Industry UK, believes more measures need to be taken. "The numbers in engineering vocational training are even more concerning as the manufacturing sector will need 235,000 at apprentice/technician level over the next 10 years," he notes. "It is encouraging that the Government has acknowledged this skills gap and has pledged investment in apprenticeships and vocational routes but, unfortunately, we have a 20-year gap of investment to fill. This is where WorldSkills comes in – it's a key way to raise the profile of engineering and manufacturing and help encourage new recruits into the industry." WorldSkills International is a global competition that first took place in Spain in 1947. Since 1971, it has been held every two years and this year it makes its third UK appearance, taking place from 5 to 8 October at ExCel, London. WorldSkills London 2011 looks set to be the biggest event yet, with 1000 competitors from more than 50 countries/regions competing in 45 vocational skills – each vying for the chance to win gold, silver or bronze medals. Medallions for excellence will also be awarded and visitors will be offered impartial advice and guidance on careers and apprenticeships. The organisers expect approximately 150,000 visitors over the four days, while Visit London estimates the competition will bring £28million in direct economic benefit to the city. Chris Humphries CBE, chief executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, believes WorldSkills London 2011 can provide UK industry with a platform to showcase its true capability. "But we need businesses to come on board," he warns. "Hosting an event of this magnitude will not only require funding, but also the equipment and raw materials. I call upon UK plc to pledge its support to this unique opportunity." Competitors are generally aged 22 or younger and most participating countries and regions have already selected teams from previous heats. All eyes will be on the UK team, which ranked seventh in the world at the last event in Calgary – four places higher than it achieved in 2007. The targets for the UK team are high; it will compete in 30 skills and expects to win 10 medals, including five golds, and gain a top five ranking in the world. Categories include Mechatronics, Robotics and Mechanical Engineering CAD. The selection and training of UK competitors was managed by the National Apprenticeship Service. Potential competitors were drawn from a shortlist and competitions, then further training was given before they competed at a final selection event. The best overall performing competitors were chosen to be part of Team UK. Skills Minister John Hayes announced the 43 members of Team UK at the end of June and described their role in bringing the value of vocational skills and practical learning to national attention as 'hugely important'. "I offer my warm support and congratulations to every member of the team," he said. "To support the ambitions of young people everywhere in our country, we have created a record number of apprenticeships, and we are building the best skills training system we've ever had." Sponsors back WorldSkills Industry giants have jumped at the chance to sponsor the broad range of categories. Siemens, for example, is providing automation and drive components for the Industrial Control and Polymechanics/Automation competitions. "Importantly, taking part is inspiring and exciting for young people as it's a chance for them to engage with likeminded peers," observed Maier. "We also mustn't forget the thousands of visitors who will attend WorldSkills – many of whom will be young people from across the UK – and how inspiring the skills competitions and exhibition element of the event will be for them. Siemens is delighted to be able to showcase its technology at the exhibition where it will be seen by pupils from schools and colleagues across the UK and spark ideas and interest in the minds of the engineers and manufacturers of tomorrow." Pneumatic and electrical automation technology specialist Festo is sponsoring both the Mechatronics and Mobile Robotics sections. Kim Holm, regional manager at Festo Didactic (Finland), wanted the company to be associated with an event designed to encourage young people into the industry. "Both mechatronics and mobile robotics trades are reflecting modern industrial trades," he said. "They are close to Festo's core business and interests and we want to have our finger on the pulse as to the level of training and skilled people of today." The Mechanical Engineering Design – CAD category is sponsored by 3Dconnexion, a provider of 3D mice for 3D design and visualisation. All 20 CAD workstations will be equipped with a SpacePilot PRO 3D mouse. Vice president of products, Antonio Pascucci, said: "To prepare students for their professional careers it is important to give them access to the best tools available. Giving competitors a chance to push the boundaries of their design capabilities with a SpacePilot PRO will deliver lasting value in the fields of engineering and computer aided design." Changing attitudes According to James Dyson, the greatest shortages in the engineering industry are within the technically skilled areas; 71% of vacancies are from the skilled trade, professional and technical occupations and process operative roles. "That's why we invest in supporting initiatives such as WorldSkills, which promote technical skills at grassroots levels," Maier asserts. "We are a Global Industry Partner of WorldSkills International, so we can work together to improve the quality of vocational training worldwide." While WorldSkills is committed to encouraging more young people into the industry, both Maier and Holm believe outdated attitudes need to change. "We need to show that the industry of today is a totally different workplace than before," stated Holm. "A mechatronics technician has an interesting job that changes from day to day. However, the world at large does not take this view, even though we live in an age of iPhones and computers. Technology is an interesting world." "We need to connect with young people and get them excited about engineering and manufacturing," agrees Maier. "Then, the industry needs to engage with young people early on in their education, before they have selected their subject options at secondary school. This will ensure students are armed with all the relevant information to make the right subject choices should they want to take up a career in engineering or manufacturing." Team UK rises to the challenge Mobile Robotics Darren Lewis, representing Team UK, is 21 and believes WorldSkills London 2011 will enable him to excel in robotics. Working towards a BSc (Hons) in Product Design and Robotics, Lewis has already decided on a career in robotics. "The work is current, interesting and a challenge," he said. "By getting involved in international competitions I'm more likely to impress future employers. My ambition is to keep improving in my skill and continue to make up-to-date concepts." Puja Varsani, currently in the final year of her undergraduate degree at Middlesex University, described the opportunity to represent Team UK in Mobile Robotics as 'a huge honour'. "I hope this opportunity will allow me to showcase how vocational training can lead to successful employment and career opportunities," she said. "I know the next few months will be tough as I will be in training for the event and I really hope the whole of the country gets behind Team UK." Mechanical Engineering CAD At 20 years old, Ryan Sheridan has already won a gold medal in EuroSkills 2010 and a silver in WorldSkills UK Mechanical Engineering CAD 2010. His college lecturer at Motherwell College told him about the competitions and he believes these will help him get the relevant training he needs to progress in life. "My ambition is to be the best I can and I would say to other young people considering a vocational career, "If it makes you happy, go for it!" Mechatronics At the age of 23, Chris Downey already holds a bronze medal for WorldSkills UK Mechatronics 2010 and hopes to improve upon that this October. "My biggest achievement would be getting to the UK final of Mechatronics," he said. "My ambition is to complete my training and become a chartered engineer as well as getting a master's degree in engineering. By competing for a place at WorldSkills London 2011, I hope to learn different things about myself while also learning how different countries approach my skill. I want to finish as high as I can in the competition and strive to win a gold medal for the UK. This will greatly help my future career prospects when applying for jobs and enable me to make new contacts in the industry." How can you contribute? Providing resources WorldSkills London 2011 is offering companies the opportunity to become involved with the event by providing equipment and resources. Aidan Jones, executive director of the event, says: "In addition to seeking financial sponsorship, we're also offering companies the chance to become sponsors of an international event by lending us the equipment we need for the competitions. We believe that WorldSkills London 2011 will be a huge boost to the UK economy and that it will leave a legacy of young people inspired by skills, but for this to be a resounding success, we need the support of businesses who can lend us the kit we need." Volunteering From greeting competitors on arrival at the airport to escorting guests around the event, to helping to manage the media it will be volunteers who make the event happen. The first person a visitor or competitor meets will be a volunteer. The scale of the event is enormous and, with hundreds of activities taking place in a space the size of ten Wembley football pitches, our volunteers will need to cover a lot of ground. There are opportunities for people of all levels and experience. Some positions require special skills – for instance, a language or specific technical knowledge – but most simply require hard work and customer service. Volunteers will also be provided with official kit, food and drinks while on duty, a Travelcard and an official certificate detailing their contribution. Visiting You can register to attend WorldSkills London 2011 on the event's website, where you can also book for up to four of your friends, family or colleagues. People of all ages will be welcomed, with the opportunity to see the competition, to try out new skills and to find out about career opportunities. Have a go 'Have a go' sessions are designed to offer an engaging way of promoting and demonstrating skills used in the workplace and the jobs needed in the future. These 'bite-sized' tasters are intended to ignite a passion to learn, and to provide expert information, advice and support. The sessions are being delivered by partners such as colleges, training providers, schools, community groups, employer's associations or other organisations.