Engineering sector needs ‘education overhaul’ to ensure its long-term future

The ‘Skills needed for the Safe Adoption of Emerging Technologies in Engineering’ report says that manual and operational engineering roles are most vulnerable to automation and AI. These roles are also often lower paid and occupied by those with fewer qualifications.

Our report says that analysis and evaluation are set to become more valuable skills within engineering, whilst people who can spot promising business opportunities to add value, and incorporate new technologies are likely to thrive best in the future. However, the safe and effective adoption of these technologies will require new skills that are currently largely lacking from the engineering sector and from much of the engineering employment pipeline.

This comes after the recent AI summit in the UK as the government announces a £118 million investment in AI skills funding, including postgraduate research centres and scholarships.

Today, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Michelle Donelan, appears before MPs at the Science and Technology Select Committee. Earlier this month she remarked that that ‘the potential for good is limitless if we forge a thoughtful path ahead.’ Our report makes a significant contribution to that process.

Tim Slingsby, Director of Skills and Education at Lloyd’s Register Foundation, said: “There is a very acute need to address skills shortages in the engineering sector. This shortfall is going to get worse if employers and educators do not account for the evolving skills needs bought about by new technologies. Moreover, we recognise that many of these technologies have the potential to reduce risk. If the skills shortage is not addressed, we will miss out on opportunities to enhance the safety of the world's critical infrastructure and the people who design, build, and operate it.

“This report provides real, actionable insights into how the international community can resolve skill shortages in the global engineering sector. It will prove a valuable asset to organisations that share our mission of making the world a safer place. Our recommendations provide guidance that will allow the engineering industry, educators, and policymakers to ensure engineering skills and education can support technological innovation.”

Summary of recommendations

For policymakers, schools, and colleges:

• Safety related components of digital, technical, and transferable skills should be embedded in school curricula – rather than being seen as optional.
• Greater efforts are required to recruit more computing teachers.
• School pupils should be exposed to not only a broader range of disciplines for longer, but also to the practice of combining multiple disciplines.
• Greater investment in transferrable ‘meta-skills’ such as interpersonal and problem-solving skills.

For further and higher education providers, local and national policymakers:

• Professional training should embrace agile and lifelong forms of learning – including initiatives such as skills passports, digital badging and Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs).
• Ensure improved access to upskilling opportunities, especially among underrepresented groups. This entails improved outreach, tailored design and making workplaces more inclusive.

For employers and the engineering sector:

• Too often safety is framed as an individual responsibility. Safety skills development should rest at an organisational level, recognising the role of culture in determining safety behaviours and incentivising in-house development of skills.
• Improve incentives for safety training, for example by making it more accessible and desirable to individuals and organisations.
• Build learning and organisational cultures which are open to challenge and agile to change – and ensure safety concerns can be voiced freely.

The ‘Skills needed for the Safe Adoption of Emerging Technologies in Engineering’ report can be downloaded in full on the Lloyd’s Register Foundation website.

Notes

About Lloyd’s Register Foundation

Lloyd’s Register Foundation is an independent global charity that supports research, innovation, and education to make the world a safer place. Its mission is to use the best evidence and insight to help the global community focus on tackling the world’s most pressing safety and risk challenges. For more information, please visit www.lrfoundation.org.uk

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