THE INTERVIEW FEBRUARY 2020
Candidates can then input their skills, where
they live and how far they are willing to travel to
work and are matched with a potential employer.
Despite being in the early stages, Watson says
the signs are good. “One large employer sent out
1300 rejection letters, each of which signposted
to Engineering Talent,” she says. “Of those, 800
people visited the online portal and about 200 have
applied for jobs. Now that the larger companies are
starting their apprenticeship recruitment for this
year, we’re really starting to ramp up promotion of
the service.”
The benefits of Engineering Talent don’t just
stop at a company gaining an apprentice and
a young person gaining an opportunity. Young
people, and females in particular, are likely to
abandon the sector altogether if they receive a
rejection letter. This method means they are more
likely to give it another go.
On the subject of encouraging more females
into the industry, Watson says that Engineering
Talent is a start, but will need more support, not
just from industry but in schools and colleges.
“We recently interviewed two young female
apprentices, both of whom were really keen on
a career in engineering. Their school, however,
pointed them in the direction of hair and beauty.
We’ve got a lot to do to show to schools how girls
can have a really rewarding career in engineering.”
Gaming the system
Enginuity is also looking to shake up employers’
attitudes to CVs and job experience. Working
with the Prince’s Trust, it has developed a game
designed to test young people’s
application of skills that would
be useful in a manufacturing
environment. The game is set
in an electric car factory
(although it can be changed
to any location) and contains
a series of tasks that will
demonstrate where the player
has used skills that would be
suited for work in engineering
or manufacturing.
“We’re working with the
Prince’s Trust because we’d
like to be able to use the
game to spot disadvantaged
young people who may not
have the academic grades
but can actually demonstrate
exceptional engineering
thinking,” explains Watson.
“They would use the game as
a sort of electronic CV – while
they may not have the grades,
they have proved they have the
right sort of skills to succeed in
industry by playing the game.
Employers have to start looking
for untapped potential, not just
falling back on those with good
GCSEs and the right A-Levels.”
It’s not just the next
generation that concerns
Watson. Existing employees,
especially those in the middle of
their careers, need attention as
well. Upskilling them to become
more digitally aware is vital.
Enginuity has worked with the
Made Smarter initiative to work
on giving what Watson calls the
“neglected middle” – those who
may still have upwards of 20
years of their career left – the
chance to progress in their roles
and learn new skills.
The secret, she says, is to
look at Industry 4.0 as more
of the same: “Debunking the
myths around Industry 4.0 is
about continuous improvement
– something many of those
in the sector will have come
across through things like
Six Sigma or lean training.
In many ways, Industry 4.0
is a continuation of that. For
managers, it’s very important
to explain that automation isn’t
a threat to these people’s jobs;
it’s enhancing their roles and
providing new opportunities.”
Brexit is set to accentuate
this, too. With overseas labour
supplies potentially drying up,
existing employees will become
even more important. And,
while apprentices and new
entrants will eventually fill the
void, in the short term making
sure your current staff are ready
for the future is key.
Time to start shouting
The manufacturing sector is
changing. Brexit, digitalisation
and a younger, more digitalsavvy
workforce means
the traditional methods
of identifying, recruiting
and retaining talent won’t
necessarily work going forward.
“As a sector we really have to
start shouting about the work
we do,” states Watson. “We’re
not great at shouting about
what we do and, as a result,
often get overshadowed by
the services sector. In spite of
the uncertainty around Brexit
deals and so on, manufacturers
will remain resilient. Industry
4.0 will bring about some real
entrepreneurial and innovative
thinking from our engineers
and manufacturers. There is
potentially a great future ahead
of us, but only if we go out and
make it happen.”
Enginuity
has helped
people find
employment
across all
sectors of
industry
26 www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
/www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk