GL Ambassador & award-winning engineer urges young people to consider a career in engineering

With the UK facing an annual shortfall of 182,000 skilled engineers who are needed to fulfil the growth and earning potential of manufacturing and engineering companies, an award-winning young engineer working in the Stroud district is calling on young people interested in science to utilise Festomane’s week-long festival between 11th – 17th February to find out more about the great benefits offered by jobs in this sector.

With the UK facing an annual shortfall of 182,000 skilled engineers who are needed to fulfil the growth and earning potential of manufacturing and engineering companies, an award-winning young engineer working in the Stroud district is calling on young people interested in science to utilise Festomane’s week-long festival between 11th – 17th February to find out more about the great benefits offered by jobs in this sector.  

‘Engineering is such a fantastic career option for young people; it is challenging, diverse, inspiring and fun. Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to be involved in some amazing technological developments in metrology and metal 3D printing, I am excited to see what the future will bring,’ said Lucy Ackland, a project manager in Renishaw’s Group Engineering Division & GL Ambassador.

Lucy joined Renishaw when she was 16 years old as a mechanical engineering apprentice and progressed through a number of roles whilst being supported by the company to study for a degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. In 2014 when she was aged 27, she won the Womens’ Engineering Society Award and was shortlisted by the Institute of Engineering & Technology for the title of Young Woman Engineer of the Year.

The manufacturing and engineering sector offers good career prospects for young people – engineering graduates earn the second highest starting salaries, just behind medical graduates. They’re also in demand as the Engineering UK 2015 Report shows that all educational levels within the UK don’t have the current capacity or rate of growth to meet the forecasted demand for skilled engineers by 2022. Yet despite the current global slow-down, the sector grew by 7% in the past 12 months and growth is forecasted to continue beyond 2020.

Festomane, the annual celebration of the current vibrancy and heritage of the district’s manufacturing and engineering sector, is hosting a number of events where young people can explore what training, apprentice and career opportunities the sector offers. Attendance at all events is free of charge.

‘Engineer Your Future’ on Saturday 13th February at Renishaw in Wotton-under-Edge is a free-to-attend morning of fun, interactive workshops and talks designed to help young people aged between 13 -19 and their families better understand the variety of career options available in science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related disciplines. Lucy Ackland will open the event as the Keynote Speaker, followed by speakers from leading companies such as Muller, Delphi Diesel Systems, and Schlumberger who will cover topics including how to protect airplanes from lightning strikes, the science behind milk, how to build a wind turbine, and water testing.

At the ‘Creation and Innovation Revealed’ exhibition on Wednesday 17th February in Stratford Park Leisure Centre,  chief executives and apprentices will put themselves in the hot seat to take questions about the type of jobs on offer, what it’s like to work in the sector, and how to obtain the necessary qualifications. The exhibition is open to the public so anyone can take part and discover more. For those already convinced of this career choice, the CV Advice Clinic offers tips on how to write a CV that grabs the attention of potential employers.

Young people aged between 14 – 16 unsure about what career to choose can take part in a range of activities at the ‘Introduction to Engineering’ day at SGS Stroud Campus on Monday 15th February. The event explorers how engineering affects our everyday lives, and attendees can sample CAD design, 3D printing, electrical workshops, build challenges, Festo pneumatics training rigs, and composite creation.

All these events are free to attend but booking a place to attend the Engineer Your Future and the Introduction to Engineering events is essential. Last year’s careers workshop for young people was fully-booked. For more information about these career-orientated events plus the range of other events on offer for local businesses and the public during Festomane week, visit www.festomane.co.uk.