Without a shadow of a doubt, the future sustainability of the technical workforce in education and industry rest with our amazing apprentices in the UK.
This is a bold statement to make given that many organisations have only just begun their apprenticeship schemes. Yet in the 2016-17 academic year, there were a staggering 491,300 apprenticeship starts, with almost 25% under the age of 19.
"Getting training and skills whilst working, and earning a real wage, is a fantastic way to kick-start a career in STEM industries."
As the manager for HEaTED, a programme delivering professional development to the technical workforce, I have the opportunity to listen and understand the needs of our community – more than 9,000 registered technicians in the UK.
Getting training and skills whilst working, and earning a real wage, is a fantastic way to kick-start a career in STEM industries. This is exactly what I did in 1989 at the age of 16, similar to the way the current Level 3 laboratory technician apprentices are starting out.
Many people talk about the potential of apprenticeships in STEM industries, I know from talking to apprentices, technicians, staff developers, managers and leaders, that apprentices are making a huge contribution. They not only connect well with students, but their active engagement and hunger for contributing to organisational services and support is enabling them to become multi-skilled and flexible – a powerful combination desired by many STEM employers.
From my visits to universities and attending HEaTED networking events, it is clear that apprentices can play a crucial role in filling the technical skills gap.