ADDRESSING THE SKILLS SHORTAGE IN THE PUMP INDUSTRY
08/07/2024 Dura Pump Ltd
By Ross Calder, director at Dura Pump.
It’s no secret that pump systems can be complex, with those working on their installation, maintenance and repair requiring a number of specific engineering and technical skills.
Across and within industries, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach but, rather, each pump system must be chosen and tailored to fit a businesses’ needs. Many customers know their desired output - maximum efficiency and minimal downtime - but they often have less idea of what system they need to achieve it.
It’s vital that customers can rely on trusted advisors, but behind the scenes, the UK pump industry is facing a rising challenge from a potential shortage of skills.
The industry is not alone in facing this challenge, with a nationwide shortfall of engineers impacting a number of sectors. According to strategy consultancy Stonehaven, more than one million additional engineers will be needed by 2030.
There are several reasons for this shortfall, with an ageing workforce, exacerbated by early retirement during the pandemic, contributing to the need to find new talent to fill the void and lead the sector into the future.
While industry-wide action is inevitably needed, driven by government policies and initiatives, there are proactive steps businesses can take to ensure they can meet the needs of the future, as well as empowering further innovation in the industry.
The current state of play
A study carried out by The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board predicts that, by 2026, 91,000 engineers, nearly 20 percent of the current UK engineering workforce, will have retired or be just about to.
By comparison, the UK pump manufacturing industry had just over 8,000 employees in 2023, according to IBIS World, illuminating just how big the impact of losing a significant percentage of the wider engineering workforce can be on feeder industries.
Not only is there a risk of not being enough people to fill roles, but the skills and experience insights from older engineers won’t be passed onto trainees and younger engineers would need to rely on the smaller workforce, or educational institutions, for their industry knowledge.
Attracting younger talent
For the pump industry to survive the growing demand, there needs to be a shift in focus towards creating attractive opportunities for younger people.
Businesses can encourage young people to enter these professions by spreading awareness of the potential benefits and the ability to build a fulfilling career.
While many do know that roles in the pump industry, and across the wider engineering sector, are worthwhile and well-paid, there is a very limited understanding of what they actually do.
While some associate engineering roles with long unsociable hours, working in isolation and often performing repetitive tasks, from my own experiences I know first-hand the positive impact we have on vital infrastructure, with many opportunities for creativity and problem-solving as part of a varied team.
Apprenticeships are a vital route for many new entrants to the sector and a number of policies have encouraged much stronger uptake of vocational training over recent years.
Here, at Dura Pump, we’re shifting focus to small but meaningful actions to attract new talent, such as encouraging younger people into the industry through our entry-level scheme. We’ve witnessed first-hand how quickly young talent can grow when given the opportunity and we’ve seen four trainees, who started at a young age, join the management team - including our installations manager, who took on a management role at the age of 22.
Mentoring, shadowing, and training plans are a key part of this scheme. These allow trainees to gain insights into the roles and responsibilities of engineers, as well as gain hands-on experience of the practical skills outside a controlled classroom setting.
The role of technology
In addition to attracting new talent, leveraging smart technologies can boost the skillsets of existing professionals and enable them to better utilise their time and skills.
By integrating smart sensors and predictive analytics, professionals can monitor pump performance in real time, identifying issues before they escalate into problems. Removing the need to repetitively diagnose problems, such as blockages and bearing failures, professionals can develop their other skills such as installations and more complex repairs.
Addressing this skills shortage requires a multi-faceted approach. Investing time and energy into younger professionals, and into remote technologies can ensure the next generation of skilled professionals are capable of meeting future demands.
Training plans, with the addition of these new technologies, would ensure that younger professionals have a good understanding of traditional engineering skills as well as the skills of tomorrow, something specifically important when considering how fast the world is adopting new technologies.
By embracing these solutions, the pump industry can secure its future, ensuring continued growth, high maintenance standards and operational efficiency across all sectors that are reliant on fluid movement.
Print this articleFor more information, please contact:
Dura Pump Ltd
Boughton Fair Lane
Moulton
Northants
NN3 7RT
Tel: 01604 648 800
Email: mail@durapump.co.uk
Web: https://www.durapump.co.uk
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