Specialisms in 21st century engineering
Mike O’Sullivan, FRSA, stresses the importance of honing individual skills at state schools from the start of the education process
Contemporary engineering in the 21st century cannot be regarded as a unitary practice i.e. marine, civil, aviation etc. Specialisms within the general classification of engineering are necessary to maintain knowledge and capability within a variety of allied but dissimilar industries.
High levels of skills, however, are still required within these different disciplines. Traditionally trained engineers would have had the opportunity to develop their careers by moving into design and management, benefiting, in a knowledge sense, from their experience as craftsmen.
There is a common belief that individual skill has been superseded by digitisation but this is not the case. It is true that computers and digitised machines are in greater use in manufacturing and that this process of skills’ transference will continue.
However, there remains the question of the creation of a competent workforce, not only to retain market share within a competitive global environment but also to maintain the safety of existing systems.
High level skills will be required for the manufacture and maintenance of future and current machines and also for the safeguarding, in situ, of built infrastructure and existing assets. As such, appropriate skills will be required to maintain Britain’s primary provision, i.e. defence, energy, heavy industry and transport.
Individual skills are in decline
Within many corporations high levels of individual skill are in decline. When work of a certain complexity is required agents are employed by companies to locate appropriately skilled people, these people are independent engineers who work through agencies to the benefit of those requiring expertise. Engineering craftsmen who underwent traditional apprenticeship training in Britain are now getting older, as such, their skills and knowledge as a group is rapidly being depleted.
In presenting an argument in support of engineering training there should be an understanding that innate ability, as a human trait, is required. This is essential in a candidate when selecting appropriate people for training.
These traits should be honed from an early age, levels of hand-eye coordination and learning, along with the development of self-confidence, should start at the beginning of state education. It is apparent to those who work to create wealth and maintain safety in society that state economies fundamentally rely upon individual capability.
The author is one of the founders of Hands On The Future