Pictured is Gillian Winters, Engineering Training Council, Rachel Bell Yr 10 pupil at Strathearn, David Manning, Principal, Strathearn, Derek Baker, DEL Permanent Secretary and Richard Kirk, ICE NI Regional Director.
A major theme from the report was that our economy needs more engineers and in particular, female engineers.
The afternoon began with an inspiring session for our Form 3 pupils taken by Dr Rochelle O’Hara, Projects Director, Sentinus. She described the range of careers available in engineering and illustrated it with video footage of female engineers describing their work. This was most appropriate in a school where so many girls take STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) subjects through to A-level and beyond.
This was followed by the launch of the report to representatives from Government, Industry and Academia, organised by the Institute of Civil Engineers.
Derek Baker, Permanent Secretary in the Department for Employment and Learning provided the keynote address at the event, followed by Richard Kirk, ICE NI Regional Director and Gillian Winters, Chief Executive of the Engineering Training Council.
Engineering UK 2015 The State of Engineering, produced by EngineeringUK, analyses the engineering industry’s capacity for growth and details engineering in education, training and employment. It shows that engineering accounts for 29% of NI turnover - 4% higher than the UK average.
The report demonstrates that NI engineering companies will need 300 people per year with engineering skills until 2022 but there is a current annual shortfall of 110 skilled workers. For every new engineering role an additional two jobs are created in the economy.
In order to meet projected employer demand the number of engineering apprentices and graduates entering the industry will need to increase and more females must join the sector.
Richard Kirk, Regional Director, ICE NI said: “Northern Ireland continues to top the UK in STEM subject performance but, we are not seeing enough, particularly females, choosing engineering.
Within the next decade we will need to create 3000 additional jobs in engineering, particularly at graduate level. The high demand for skilled engineers and too few entrants is resulting in a severe skills gap and it’s vital that we address the problem now.
“More needs to be done to inform and inspire young people about the benefits of careers in engineering and to boost the number of STEM students”.
Further details on the report may be found through this link
