Apprenticeships – a modern classic

10 June, 2016

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We have all had the conversation about the challenges of plugging the engineering skills gap. It’s not a new issue. As older, experienced engineers reach the end of their careers, it clearly requires some investment, plus considerable time and resource, to bring the next generation ‘up to speed.’

This mindset is a real barrier to progress. Too much emphasis is placed on the time it takes to train and not enough focus on the long-term benefit for our industry as a whole. This can mean employers are reluctant to spend, believing that the professionally trained and skilled recruit that they have invested so much time in, will quickly move on to another business, or at worst, a competitor!

This is, of course, a reality of the modern working world. Unlike their grandparents’ generation, today’s school leavers are far less likely to expect a career for life.

But, they do expect skills for life and this is the real challenge at large for the engineering community. While its crucial to see a return on training investment and for employees to have a fulfilling career path within a particular organisation, it is imperative that we consider the wider industry implications.

It has to be better for all of us to help generate a pool of new engineering talent, trained by the industry, for the industry. And, with 83 per cent of companies who employ apprentices relying on their programme to provide the skilled workers they need for the future, we are clearly doing a lot right already.

The compressed air industry has a lot to offer the next generation of engineers. Perhaps now is the time to do ourselves the same favour and think long-term about the benefits of apprenticeships.

www.gardnerdenver.com