Comment: Early careers programmes are reshaping the engineering workforce of the future

Professional engineers are in high demand across several UK industries. The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has estimated a shortfall of over 173,000 workers in the STEM sector, with around 10 unfilled roles per business on average in the UK. Almost half of engineering businesses are struggling to even find candidates with the necessary skills. Highly skilled engineers play a crucial role in the economic growth and security of the UK, from advancing healthcare treatment and developing aircrafts, to producing technology that focuses on national security and stability. With the UK’s ambition to be a ‘clean energy superpower’ and further enhance its tech and science expertise, companies are jostling to compete to attract the very best engineering talent to design, develop and implement technologies that will power this transition.

Engineering is central to many organisations, and AWE Nuclear Security Technologies is no exception in its pursuit of high calibre engineers. Its mission is to support national defence and security, by maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent and this unique expertise assists the UK government’s counter terrorism and nuclear threat reduction activities. The work of engineers is paramount to delivering this.

Taking early careers seriously

Young engineers provide fresh perspectives and a willingness to challenge the status quo. Their creativity and adaptability are essential for problem-solving and driving innovation, particularly in an industry with constantly evolving technologies. Graduates are typically more comfortable with digital technologies and can lead the way in integrating these into traditional engineering practices. When developments such as AI are affecting every sector, adapting to new tools and processes is a necessity for engineering companies to remain competitive.

Government-owned and private sector organisations alike are recognising the importance of making strategic investments, with many prioritising early careers recruitment as a key area of funding. These are most notably apprenticeships and graduate schemes. Degree-integrated paid industry placements are also growing in popularity with schemes such as the Ministry of Defence’s Defence STEM Undergraduate Sponsorship (DSUS).

Cultivating skilled engineers

The benefits of early careers programmes are well documented, particularly in how they build a strong and continuous pipeline of proficient engineers. Although having schemes in place is a great step to encouraging young talent into the industry, it’s also important to ensure that they are as valuable as possible. Doing so will help students excel in their future roles, attract top talent, and support retention. This can be successfully done by: 

·       Engaging young talent early – through apprentice schemes open to students from 16+ for example, employers can gain keen, capable individuals who are aligned with an organisation’s culture, committed to its mission, and go on to develop a deep understanding of its engineering practices.

·       Prioritising hands-on learning – this helps students to master technical skills and adapt to professional environments, as well as keeping the job entertaining and varied.

·       Providing diverse early careers programmes – for example, AWE Nuclear Security Technologies’ Evolve graduate programme offers rotational placements, so graduates can gain expertise in several disciplines. This provides them a competitive advantage in the job market and avoids having to specialise too early.

·       Tailoring training to align with industry requirements and a student’s career goals – this helps them develop both technical and soft skills, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management, ensuring the skills they do acquire are highly valuable in their future roles.

·       Providing students access to state-of-the-art facilities – AWE Nuclear Security Technologies’ Orion laser and High-Performance Computing (HPC) facilities are examples of inspiring environments which expose engineers to future possibilities. This encourages them to pursue an engineering career upon completion and demonstrates how engineers play a crucial role in national research.

Building a future workforce

Attracting top talent requires nurturing an engineer’s skills development from the very beginning of their career. By investing in education and training programmes, and providing clear pathways for progression, employers can ensure their engineers are equipped to tackle future challenges and help position an organisation at the forefront of the engineering sector. Looking at the bigger picture, encouraging young talent to pursue engineering plays a vital role in accelerating innovation and reaching national sustainability goals. Ultimately, this proactive approach fosters a workforce that will drive long-term success for the industry.

Meg Hunt, chief people officer at AWE Nuclear Security Technologies