[ad_1]
EngineeringUK chief executive Dr Hilary Leevers explains why a growing number of organizations are joining forces to tackle the ongoing workforce shortage.
As the New Year approaches, many businesses are ramping up their recruitment efforts, and many of you may be feeling the pressure to recruit. Limited applications and open roles are probably all too familiar. So, what can we do about this? Well, what if we didn’t view other companies as competitors when it came to recruiting, but instead collaborated early in the system to expand the talent pool so that there were enough candidates for all of us to thrive?
There is a lot of great work being done to inspire the next generation to enter engineering and technology careers, but workforce and skills shortages are not a problem that any one organization or even a single sector can solve alone. That’s why the Code for Tomorrow’s Engineers was born. This collaborative community of organizations is dedicated to increasing the number and diversity of young people entering engineering and technology careers. To improve the collective impact of Engineering Extension on young people, members share best practice and make 4 commitments – link with other activities, drive inclusivity, demonstrate the breadth of contemporary careers and share their experiences. Through this shared approach, Code members include organizations of all sizes from across the engineering professions, as well as funders, government departments, agencies, and education and outreach organizations. In fact, last month, the community celebrated an exciting new milestone – now reaching 300 members.
We’re eager to continue growing this community so we can strengthen this joined-up approach and drive change at scale. Any UK organization that funds, designs or delivers engineering outreach activities or intends to do so will be invited to become a signatory – this is free of charge. If your organization does not meet this criteria but supports our goals, you are more than welcome to join as a supporter. Code members are also invited to join Code Connect, a virtual matching system designed to foster collaboration across the coding community. It gives members easy access to information about other members, such as their areas of activity and expertise, and lets you connect with and learn from the community in a few simple steps.
Our Engineers of Tomorrow live events are another great way to promote collaboration – our 2024 event will be held this February. This year’s annual event brings the engineering and technology communities together to discuss inspiring the next generation, impacting underrepresented groups and promoting technological pathways.
There are many other ways you can get involved in developing the future workforce and easing recruitment challenges. For example, National Apprenticeship Week also takes place this February, another opportunity for the industry to come together to promote technical routes into engineering careers. The more organizations that participate, the better we can showcase the exciting opportunities our industry has to offer. By demonstrating the benefits of apprenticeships, you will play a role in supporting young people from all backgrounds to pursue a career in engineering, thereby increasing the potential talent pool for the future. Who knows, you might even find your next new member! If your business doesn’t already offer apprenticeships or T-level internships, this might be a good time to find out more and find out how they’re helping other employers find the talent they need.
This type of collaboration is at the heart of our five-year strategy. Our mission is to empower more young people from all backgrounds to be inspired, informed and advance in the fields of engineering and technology. But we know this can only be achieved by working with others. We work with hundreds of organizations across the industry and place great emphasis on working closely with all professional engineering bodies, our corporate members and other partners.
So the next time you’re struggling with recruiting or reviewing your recruiting strategy, I urge you to think about the bigger picture. How can you join the growing number of businesses taking a proactive, collaborative and future-proof approach to securing the workforce of the future?
More work by Dr. Hilary Livers
[ad_2]
Source link