A skills shortage is hitting manufacturing hard, but help and support is available - Greg Cranstoun

Greg Cranstoun, Knowledge Exchange Associate at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) Manufacturing Skills Academy, operated by the University of Strathclyde.

Manufacturing is in the midst of a growing skills shortage. Even before the pandemic changed the way we work, the manufacturing sector had been struggling to attract the right talent.

A recent report by recruitment specialist Search Consultancy found that 85 per cent of engineering and manufacturing businesses were reporting a lack of skilled workers. This placed engineering and manufacturing as the sector most impacted by the skills shortage.

The report highlights the causes of this shortage, with 40 per cent of those surveyed stating a lack of qualified candidates as the main problem. The other primary reasons reported were lack of apprentices and an aging workforce.

These are not new problems for a sector that has always had a bit of an image problem when it comes to attracting new talent, but rapid advances in Industry 4.0 digital manufacturing technologies require new skills – and this is compounding the problem. Some of the most in-demand skills for manufacturing are a far cry from the stereotypical perception of the industry, they include coding, big data analysis, programming, and digital fluency. These are skills not usually delivered through traditional engineering learning pathways and often command higher salaries in other sectors.

Paradoxically, the advances in digital manufacturing that are revolutionising the industry, will go some way to shaking off the old stereotypes and ultimately make the sector more attractive to new talent in the longer term. With the pandemic demonstrating the benefits of a flexible workforce and the recent COP26 conference highlighting the importance of sustainability and a low carbon future, manufacturing businesses have more opportunities than ever to change the way they work, in order to benefit from opportunities that may come their way

Upskilling existing staff and re-training is therefore an essential part of addressing this problem, especially while we embrace new technology and show that manufacturing is a ‘cool’ option for apprentices and graduates.

Fortunately, there are a wide range of support mechanisms available to small and growing businesses to address these problems. The Online Digital Manufacturing & Leadership CPD Programme (DML-CPD), which is led by the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Design Manufacture and delivered through the Manufacturing Skills Academy at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is a good example of the excellent support that is available for the manufacturing community.

This initiative has been designed to support upskilling at all levels, from apprentice to post-graduate through the provision of online training courses covering a diverse range of topics in digital and advanced manufacturing such as Internet of Things, 3D printing, remanufacturing and circular economy / net-zero. A more bespoke support package is also provided to for businesses that want to dig deeper into the digital transformation process.

These content libraries are available to qualifying companies free of charge and will help to provide a foundation in digital manufacturing, allowing them to make more informed strategic decisions and help with their digital transformation journey.

DML-CPD is one of 12 Advancing Manufacturing Challenge Fund projects. These projects are part-funded by the 2014-2020 European Regional Development Fund.

CeeD manages the Advancing Manufacturing Cluster Builder programme which supports and helps direct small/medium-sized companies to these projects. Another such project is The Critical Engineer – a regional skills hub, giving SMEs access to the latest Manufacturing 4.0 technologies, through a combination of online, college and work-based learning.

To find out more about the free support available to people and businesses throughout the manufacturing community in Scotland, please visit advancingmanufacturing.co.uk.

Greg Cranstoun, Knowledge Exchange Associate at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) Manufacturing Skills Academy, operated by the University of Strathclyde.