Employers Urged to Play Bigger Role – Humber UTC engagement brochure launched
Employers Urged to Play Bigger Role – Humber UTC engagement brochure launched
The vital role that employers are playing in helping to create the engineers of the future has been underlined at a special meeting at the Humber UTC.
A network event involving the UTC and one of its founder members, the Team Marine Humber Alliance, heard it was a great example of partnership-working to help the economy of North Lincolnshire.
Council Leader Rob Waltham told an audience of local employers and visitors from the United States that a university technical college was vital to tackle the skills gap and to help future prosperity for residents.
He was addressing a special gathering of members of the Team Humber Marine Alliance, which was one of the founding partners of the UTC, as well as policymakers and regulators from California, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They were visiting the UK to learn about the British experience with offshore wind.
As well as touring the Humber UTC, and hearing from its Principal Andy Downing about the progress made to date, they also visited the various companies on both banks of the Humber and met the Northern Powerhouse Minister, Andrew Percy, the MP for Brigg and Goole.
The meeting at Scunthorpe was also designed to relaunch the employer engagement programme for the Humber UTC, which is an employer-led technical school for 14-19 year olds. A new brochure was also published at the event.
Names such as British Steel, Cristal, Dong Energy, Singleton Birch, Triton Knoll, the RAF and BAE Systems are among the brands which have given their backing with projects or sponsorship.
Mark O’Reilly, Chief Executive of Team Humber Marine Alliance, said: “The average age of engineers is around 56 and we need to do something about addressing that skills gap. The UTC is ideal and is already supported by many big names around here but it could always do with more, to sponsor rooms, develop projects for the students or to join the governing body.”
Of the wider visit, Sir Kim Darroch, British Ambassador to the US, said: “This programme is further evidence that innovation lies at the heart of the UK-US relationship. The UK is a global leader in offshore wind technology, generating more electricity from offshore wind than any other country. We welcome the opportunity for experts in this area from the UK and the US to meet and consult, and hope this will lead to economic and environmental benefits for both countries.”