National Grid is hoping to switch young people in Coventry on to a career in engineering after identifying a major skills shortage which needs to be filled by 2020.
The company, the UK’s largest utility, has identified a gap of nearly 1,000 new engineers needed by the end of the next decade. Despite running successful graduate and apprentice schemes, it’s still predicting a shortfall in numbers.
Research published today by the company has shown that young people are deterred from following engineering careers by negative perceptions of the job. The report “Engineering Our Future” shows that people view engineering jobs as menial and blue collar, seeing engineers as people in overalls who fix things, rather than professionals with the ability to design complex processes and run highly technical operations.
Steve Holliday, chief executive of National Grid said: “This report makes extremely worrying reading for me. Engineers are at the heart of our business. Our current level of “growing our own” through graduate and apprentices schemes will just not fill this gap. We need a bigger pool of talented young engineers – not a shrinking one.”
“In common with many engineering-based industries nearly one third of our existing workforce can retire between now and 2020.
“We have to turn round these negative perceptions about engineering and get young people to see it as an important, rewarding and secure career. The challenge of rebuilding the gas and electricity networks to handle renewable energy is facing us now and we need people who can design, plan and operate these systems. “
Many young school and college leavers and university graduates from the Midlands are currently pursuing rewarding careers with National Grid and a number of these have now spoke out to try to encourage their peers to follow in their footsteps (see case studies below of young engineers working in Coventry and Warwick).
Coventry-based gas emergency engineer Michelle Moore moved into engineering after a series of clerical jobs and has never regretted it.
Michelle said: "Some people are still surprised when a woman turns up to deal with a gas escape and I have to convince them I’m a real engineer but I don’t mind. I have a very responsible and enjoyable job and the prospect of a long-term career."
This perception of the industry is not shared by most people. National Grid’s research shows that only 6 of out 10 young people could name a recent engineering achievement and parents and teachers were unsure about where engineers work and how to get into engineering. There was also low appreciation of the contribution that engineering makes to society making it almost “an invisible industry”. And for every 10 boys who would consider a career in engineering, there was only one girl.
Steve Holliday said: “This report has prompted a major review of our education and skills policy. We have to begin to inspire children at a younger age about the possibilities of what science and engineering can do and then keep engaged until they are at the point of thinking about their future careers.”
For more information on career opportunities for school, college and university leavers, go to www.nationalgrid.com and click on careers
For details of the report go to: http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Media+Centre/PressReleases/Documents/EngineeringOurFutureReport.htm
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For further media information only, contact, Jane Taylor National Grid Media Relations on 0121 333 2640
Cast Studies:
Michelle Moore - First call engineer
Coventry-based Michelle Moore is one of National Grid’s army of emergency response engineers. As a first call engineer, it’s Michelle’s job to attend and make safe gas escapes reported by the public.
After leaving school Michelle had a series of administrative and clerical jobs, but it was when she joined National Grid’s metering division that she decided life behind a desk was not for her.
"I’ve always been a technically minded person," she said, "so when the opportunity arose to join National Grid’s apprentice scheme, I jumped at it.
"My training took two years and consisted of a great deal of classroom work, practical exercises and assessments. At the end of it I had my City & Guilds and NVQ level 3 qualifications. This was followed by a period of on-job training where I partnered one of my colleagues but now I am fully qualified and can attend jobs on my own.
"I do sometimes encounter the ‘oh, you’re a woman!’ reaction when I turn up at people’s houses and I’ve even been asked if an engineer is coming along later. I have to convince them that I am an engineer."
Michelle has also used her training to promote gas safety to school children. Each year she talks to hundreds of youngsters at the county’s Survive Alive safety events where she tells them what to do if they find a gas escape.
"I’m very glad I moved into engineering," she said. "I now have a very responsible and enjoyable job and the prospect of a long-term career. I’m hoping to do more training to move away from domestic gas work and into the commercial and industrial work. After that I can look at moving into a managerial role."
Sally Nicholson - Graduate engineer, Warwick
Warwick-based graduate engineer Sally Nicholson has spent much of the last six months keeping her eye on the television. But for Sally, it’s all in a day's work.
Sally works in energy forecasting and it’s part of her job to ensure there is enough electricity available to meet the country’s requirements at all times of the day and night.
"There is a phenomenon we call TV pick-up," she explained. "This is a massive surge in demand for power when millions of people leave their television sets at the end of a programme and switch on kettles or lights. It can cause a sudden increase in demand of up to 10% and we have to be ready for it. To do that, we have to know when the popular programmes are on and what time they finish.
"In this country, the electricity supply is so reliable that we just take it for granted. Most people have no idea what goes on behind the scenes and I’ve found they are really interested in this sort of detail.
"I’m very proud of the job I do. It’s varied and challenging and I have a real feeling that I’m doing something worthwhile."
Sally joined National Grid a year ago after graduating from Newcastle University with a degree in mechanical engineering.
"Engineering was an obvious career choice for me. My father is an engineer, and as a child I used to spend hours with him in his workshop. At school my favourite subjects were science and maths so I suppose it was inevitable I moved into engineering.
"Being a woman has made no difference to my job and that’s how I like it. I don’t want to be treated any differently to anyone else. I’d encourage any woman to consider a career in engineering as there’s so much opportunity and you get a real sense that you’re contributing something important to society."
Phil Clements - Power systems engineer, Warwick
Warwick-based power systems engineer Phil Clements loves the buzz he gets from his job.
"There's never a dull day," he says. "There are so many aspects of engineering to explore that no one could possibly get bored. You deal with knowledgeable and experienced people and can develop a huge range of skills. My job involves analysing National Grid's transmission system to decide what additional infrastructure is needed to connect large generation companies and local distribution companies to our network. As part of the job I have to deal with people at all levels both within the company and customers to find solutions through engineering.
"The best part of the job for me is the people I work with. This industry is full of enthusiastic people who are hugely knowledgeable about their subject and welcome the opportunity to help young engineers like myself increase their own knowledge.
"I've always liked building things and at school enjoyed the problems solving subjects such as maths, science and technology. I suppose it was inevitable that I would pursue a career in engineering because I was inspired by members of my family who also work in the industry. They are very enthusiastic about their work and, like them, I wanted to be able to point to things and say 'I helped to build that.'"
Phil left school with nine GCSEs and took up an apprenticeship with a microelectronics company. He gained an HNC in mechatronics before spending a couple of years as a metalworker for a bulk handling company to gain valuable practical experience. From there he joined the petrochemical industry as a design engineer where he was inspired to gain further qualifications in electrical engineering.
"I returned to the University of Teesside and gained a First Class BEng (Hons) degree in electrical engineering. I wanted to specialise in high-voltage electrical power systems so I went on to complete a one year MSc at Manchester. From there I joined National Grid's graduate development scheme and, after 18 months I took up my current role in electricity network investment.
"If I had to sum up my career in three words I would say it has been educational, multidimensional and inspirational. The only down side is that there's not enough hours in the day. However that keeps you on your toes so, maybe it's not such a bad thing."