As the government prepares the new Industrial Strategy, the institution called for a “fresh approach” to provide the skilled engineers and technicians capable of turning that vision into reality. This should include a National Engineering and Technology Workforce Strategy, the institution said, first proposed by the National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC) in 2024 to address the existing worker shortage and plan for future demand.
The call came in “Engineering the UK’s Future”, published today (22 January). “Without an agreed strategy going forward, the engineering profession could face similar workforce crises to the NHS, which the new NHS Long Term Workforce Plan intends to remedy,” the report authors told Professional Engineering. “We are calling for a more proactive approach for engineers.”
Summarising IMechE’s response to the Industrial Strategy consultation, the new report stresses the profession’s fundamental importance to the success of the new scheme, forming the “backbone” to each of the eight key growth-driving sectors identified by the government.
“Ultimately, engineers are the people who turn innovative ideas into reality, streamline operations, and bring new technologies to life. Their expertise is especially critical during the development and deployment phases of these technologies, making them indispensable to the strategy’s success,” the authors said.
The Industrial Strategy could fall short if skills and training aren’t prioritised, the experts said, threatening to undermine growth in target sectors like clean energy and advanced manufacturing. “The success of the strategy relies heavily on the people driving growth, particularly engineers – and right now, we simply don’t have enough of them to meet demand.”
The UK needs 124,000 new engineers and technicians each year to meet demand, but current projections show an annual shortfall of 37,000-59,000. “That’s a significant gap, and without targeted support for skills development and training, it’s hard to see how the strategy’s full potential can be realised,” the authors said. In clean energy alone, the country will need to fill an estimated 400,000 roles by 2050, 260,000 of which will be new.
Introducing the National Engineering and Technology Workforce Strategy could provide a solution to the long-term issue, the experts said. It would include initiatives such as expanding STEM career support to address the shortage of teachers and attract young talent, and encouraging lifelong learning.
“The engineering community has long called for a more coherent approach to the skills offering in the UK. Over the years there have been many strategies looking at different aspects of engineering skills gaps, for example in nuclear, resulting in a siloed, incoherent approach. A holistic strategy to grow the total number of engineers is needed,” the authors said.
“With a cross-government approach, it is possible that all the systems involved in solving the problem will be well equipped to make progress.”
The IMechE report calls for other initiatives such as flexible, modular qualifications, allowing workers to continuously ‘upskill’ as technologies advance. This would enable learners to take standalone courses from wider qualifications, or to combine modules into a full qualification.
“This is not only beneficial for the individual who can work flexibly towards this qualification,” the authors said. “Because each module focuses on a specific topic, learners can pick it up as and when they need it.”
Existing examples include a modular programme in advanced mechanical engineering at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.
Diversity initiatives could also make a significant contribution to tackling the skills gap, the IMechE report says. Women represent only 14% of the core engineering workforce in the UK, compared to 52% in the wider workforce. Initiatives could encourage participation from women, ethnic minorities and other underrepresented groups to make the profession more inclusive.
“To address this gap, the strategy could include targeted outreach programmes, mentorship opportunities, and policies promoting flexible working and diverse hiring,” the authors said. “Additionally, ensuring access to training courses across the UK and supporting broader access to education and upskilling should also be key elements of the approach.”
The report also higlights the need to invest in large-scale demonstration and test facilities, which have proven successful in advancing high-integrity engineering solutions. These should be determined by the government in the upcoming white paper, the experts said.
The government set out some plans to tackle the skills issue in the Industrial Strategy consultation, highlighting steps it has already taken such as the formation of Skills England. It also plans to transform job centres into a national jobs and careers service that will help employers find the talent they need, and implement a ‘skills triage service’, providing guidance for strategically important investments.
“The new growth and skills levy, which replaces the existing apprenticeships levy, will enable employers to access a broader range of high-quality training offers,” the consultation added.
Want the best engineering stories delivered straight to your inbox? The Professional Engineering newsletter gives you vital updates on the most cutting-edge engineering and exciting new job opportunities. To sign up, click here.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.