Developing future skills for the engineering sector: evidence from the UK

Abstract

Shortage of workforce stifles innovation and increases project costs. Information gleaned from literature shows that the ageing workforce and inability to attract young people are reasons for labour shortages in the engineering sector. To address this shortage, several countries have created various programs, such as degree apprenticeship, to ease the process of recruiting, training and retaining young people. The current study seeks to: (i) uncover factors influencing the decision to sign-up for degree apprenticeship programs and (ii) unearth the factors affecting the outcome of degree apprenticeship programmes in engineering. Interviews were conducted to address the research objectives of the study. The findings indicated that awareness, covid-19 pandemic, funding, incentives [financial and non-financial] and diversity are key factors influencing the decision to sign-up for degree apprenticeship. Also, demand for engineering jobs, balance between theory and practical training, collaboration of stakeholders, leadership support, versatility of apprentice experience are the factors affecting the outcome of degree apprentices. Based on the findings, it is evident that raising awareness among stakeholders, such as career counsellors, and collaboration are vital for improving the supply of qualified young people in the engineering sector.