Meet the speakers: In conversation with... Paul Adams, head of aerospace and defence, Vendigital

Paul Adams is head of aerospace and defence at Vendigital and is presenting ‘Additive, Brexit and Aerospace Supply Chains’ at Subcon at 11:30 on Thursday 8 June at Subcon. 

Please sum up your conference session in one sentence

Advancing low-cost competition is disrupting global supply chains and investment in 3D printing and other novel manufacturing technology has become mission critical for manufacturers in the aerospace and automotive sectors, but a clear investment strategy is essential.

What practical tips will visitors pick up from your presentation?  

How to take a more strategic approach to manufacturing technology. Understanding the risks associated with additive manufacturing; learning how to equip supply chains to cope with faster production methods and how to bring on capability quickly and securely.

What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry this year?

Looking beyond the revenue streams provided by long term production programmes and facing the growing competition from low-cost territories which is disrupting global supply chains – will UK or European manufacturers lose ground?

And the biggest opportunity?

Learning how to leverage technological advances and supply chain relationships to the full in order to differentiate our offering and build on the UK’s position of manufacturing strength.

Is leaving the EU good or bad for UK manufacturing?

Brexit could mark the end of zero-tariff trading in Europe and this is cause for concern particularly for the many UK suppliers to Airbus. But there is much that can be done to ensure UK-based manufacturers stay on course and limit their exposure to financial risk.

Do you think the industry will suffer if leaving the EU restricts free movement of labour?

Access to skilled labour is vital to the survival of the UK’s high-value manufacturing sector. Employers must have assurances that they will be able to keep existing EU workers on their books and they will continue to have access to a pan-European talent pool in the future.

If you were in Government, what would you do to encourage more women and young people to work in the engineering and manufacturing industries?

Make sure there are plenty of rewarding career paths for them. Give early opportunities to lead and provide the flexibility that young people expect from a career in the 21^st century.

What are you most looking forward to about Subcon 2017?

Sharing views about the challenges and opportunities facing the UK’s manufacturing sector at a time of significant global geopolitical uncertainty.

Paul Adams is head of aerospace and defence at Vendigital and is presenting ‘Additive, Brexit and Aerospace Supply Chains’ at Subcon at 11:30 on Thursday 8 June at Subcon. Register for your free ticket now at www.subconshow.co.uk 

UK MANUFACTURERS CALL ON GOVERNMENT TO STEP UP AND HELP CLOSE THE ENGINEERING SKILLS GAP

The UK manufacturing industry is calling on Government to step up and do more to encourage young people to consider engineering as a career and, thereby, help to close the ongoing skills gap. This is according to a new poll of over 600 industry professionals commissioned by Subcon in association with leading trade magazine The Engineer.

The survey revealed that:

·       67 per cent of UK manufacturers are worried about the future availability of skilled staff for their business

·       72 per cent don’t believe Government is doing enough to promote skills training

·       83 per cent believe there are not enough young people working in UK manufacturing and engineering

·       88 per cent claim engineering is a good career choice for young people

·       90 per cent claim the industry would benefit from more young people working within it

·       Just 54 per cent currently train apprentices

·       40 per cent don’t know whether The Apprenticeship Levy (introduced on 6 April 2017) is a good thing

“The engineering skills gap is the biggest challenge facing the UK manufacturing industry right now." Sid Shaikh, Engineering R&D Manager, Ocado.

In response to the estimate that the UK needs an additional 1.8 million engineers by 2020*, Government has introduced The Apprenticeship Levy, and announced £170 million worth of investment in technology institutes as part of its Industrial Strategy and the introduction of T-Levels. Despite this, nearly three quarters of manufacturing professionals believe Government could do more, specifically with regards education.  

When asked what industry and the Government can do to encourage more young people to consider manufacturing as a career, the top five answers polled were:

1.     Increase and improve education at school level

2.     Invest in apprenticeship training 


3.     Promote potential career progression 
and opportunities 


4.     Increase pay at all levels 


5.     Improve the image of the industry 


The industry speaks

Sid Shaikh, Engineering R&D Manager, Ocado: “The engineering skills gap is the biggest challenge facing the UK manufacturing industry right now. If Government is to encourage more young people to work in the industry, we should introduce engineering qualifications earlier in the education process, create targeted promotion and incentives for women and young people to take the Engineering GCSE, and create a culture that is more welcoming to new starters that are keen to learn.”

Alan Pendry, Associate Professor of Advanced Systems Engineering in the School of Engineering and the Built Environment at Birmingham City University: “Apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships are an excellent opportunity for UK companies to grow the essential skills needed by our growing manufacturing industry and to take us into the fourth industrial revolution. If I were in Government and wanted to encourage more young people and women into engineering, I would get rid of ‘career politicians’ and replace the cabinet with engineers: 50 per cent male and 50 per cent female, educate school teachers as to what engineering and manufacturing in the 21^st century is and promote positive action without the perceived fear of discrimination in the appointment of women to engineering posts.”

Jon Excell, Editor, The Engineer: “The skills shortage is a major issue. The Government is doing a bit to help and the investment in technology institutes, and introduction of T-Levels and The Apprenticeship Levy are all welcome developments that will give a lot of people opportunities they haven’t had before as well as broaden the pool that industry can draw on. But there is a slight caveat – and it’s a concern a lot of people have raised – which is that in the rush to meet the target of three million apprentices, we don’t lose sight of the fact that we need high quality apprenticeships for the high value industries that will help drive the economy.

“Of course, there is always more the Government can do, but it’s not just down to Government, industry has an important role to play, too. It needs to get more engaged with education and the school system to inspire the next generation of engineers.”

The survey of more than 600 UK manufacturing professionals was carried out by Subcon and leading industry trade magazine The Engineer. Subcon is the UK’s premier manufacturing supply chain show, taking place 6-8 June 2017 at NEC, Birmingham. Visitors can register for a free pass at www.subconshow.co.uk.  

Meet the speakers: In Conversation With … Jeremy Hadall

Jeremy Hadall is Chief Technologist for Robotics and Automation, The Manufacturing Technology Centre. He will present ‘The benefits of embracing robotics and automation’ at Subcon at 1215 on Wednesday 7 June.

Please sum up your conference session in one sentence:

I guess it’s a bit of myth busting on two fronts; first about how robotics and automation are not just for big companies and second that we’re not even close to replacing every manufacturing employee with a robot.

What practical tips will visitors pick up from your presentation?

How to work out what automation is right for them and how to build a case for it.

What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry this year?

Probably dealing with uncertainty. There is so much around: Brexit, Government’s industrial strategy, etc.

And the biggest opportunity?

See above! Seeing the uncertainty as an opportunity and seeking out ways to become more productive (perhaps through automation!) is perhaps the biggest opportunity in 2017.

Is leaving the EU good or bad for UK manufacturing?

It’s far too early to tell yet, but losing access to research, skilled engineers and influence over standards could be very damaging.

Do you think the industry will suffer if leaving the EU restricts free movement of labour?

Almost certainly. We are already seeing some skilled and semi-skilled people leaving and if leaving the EU restricts free movement this can only get worse.

Do you think the Apprentice Levy is a good thing?

Again, it’s probably too early to tell its long-term benefit, but creating more skilled technicians and engineers can only be a good thing.

If you were in Government, what would you do to encourage more women and young people to work in the engineering and manufacturing industries?

I am not sure it’s purely the role of Government, it needs all of us in the engineering and manufacturing industries to showcase what a diverse and engaging career choice these industries can be. I’m not a fan of quotas or programmes to encourage people into engineering, it’s far better to enthuse more women and young people to join the profession than create (sometimes) false incentives.

What are your thoughts on Industry 4.0?

It’s a great idea that’s been around for years! But it’s only now that we have the computing power, the software tools and the automation to harness the data available to enhance manufacturing processes. But more companies need to engage and understand the technologies and upskill their workforces to benefit from it.

What are you most looking forward to about Subcon 2017?

This will be my first time at the event, so looking to take it all in and make the most of the experience.

Don't miss Jeremy's session - and 35 other first class presentations at this year's Subcon conference delivered by The Engineer and The Manufacturer. Register now for your free pass at the Subcon website.