10th October 2024
The inaugural meeting of the Workforce Development Partnership for the Manufacturing, Science and Engineering sector took place on October 10th at the Activate Learning Blackbird Ley Campus in Oxford.
The focus of this meeting was to continue the dialogue from the Manufacturing Roundtable with the IOP in June to gain a broader understanding of the specific skills and recruitment needs of employers in Oxfordshire. The meeting commenced with a warm welcome from Jane Saggers, followed by an introduction to the Chamber and benefits of Chamber membership from Rober Nienaber. An update on the Local Skills Improvement Plans, Skills England, and the impact the employer and training provider engagement has made on the training provision in the region was shared.
Jess Hamer, IOP provided a recap on their role in the industry and update on the T-Level project and their latest report incorporating feedback from the Roundtable, discussing the barriers faced by employers regarding T-Level implementation and how these can be overcome. Opportunities with the IOP were discussed with a focus on upcoming projects and applications and an invitation for Partnership members to contact the IOP for further conversations and inclusion.
Caroline Wood, UKAEA provided an overview of their skills agenda, their ownership of the Oxford Advance Skills (OAS) centre and role in Fusion skills development. The collaboration between UKAEA and STFC under the FOSTER programme was shared, with a focus on disseminating knowledge to a wider audience. Two competitions were announced, alongside the launch of an international fellowship scheme and a webinar scheduled for mid-October to explore future needs and ideas in this field. Edward Collett, Abingdon and Whitney College gave a presentation on their latest Engineering Skills Bootcamps to support new people into businesses which include a 10-day training course aimed at preparing individuals for interviews, with the potential for job offers. The upskilling of current staff was also addressed and employer contributions discussed.
The training provision landscape for the sector was shared with the group, with the aim of helping employers to better understand the qualifications and training provision available in Oxfordshire today.
A group discussion included concerns on skills shortages and absence of local training courses, course levels, post-Covid generation expectations and the need for engineering skills. Conversations shifted to Process Engineers, salary expectations and adult learning through Apprenticeships. The Apprenticeship and Growth Levy was raised and how micro-courses may be helpful going forward. Recruitment challenges were noted, as well as the need for improved preparation in schools for professional environments and a need for schools to re-engage with employers.
Information was shared on the Skills Builder framework and the shared responsibility of educators, employers, and parents in educating young people was discussed. Needs for employers to showcase modern work environments to students and for education among students, parents and educators on the various roles and career paths was highlighted.
In closing the group were asked to approach the LSIP team if they were interested in undertaking an Employer Champion role for the partnership.
