Brighton members of the Sussex Manufacturing Forum will meet a range of educationalists from secondary schools, six form colleges, FE colleges and universities on 6 March at the American Express Stadium (Amex), Falmer to discuss The Skills Gap.
The meeting will explore the ways in which the education sector currently encourages students to look at careers in engineering through apprenticeship, further education or degree studies. The forum aims to identify strategies to allow industry to work more closely with schools, universities and colleges.
The debate is set across a backdrop of skills shortages at every level within the sector. These shortages look set to be exacerbated as we see growth in the sector with skilled staff and graduate engineers coming at a premium which many smaller firms will find hard to pay.
The panel comprises: Dr Shona Campbell, head of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership at Brighton University; Jeremy Oughton, head of International Business Development at South Coast College; Hastings; Damien Leach, business adviser at Chichester College. Paul Riley, vice principal at Worthing College who has expertise around careers advice in schools; Nicola Midgley, head of Rye College (secondary school); and Keith McCormick, assistant head teacher who joined the profession following the completion of an apprenticeship in engineering and qualifying as a production engineer.
The Sussex Manufacturing Forum is sponsored by the Manufacturing Group at Worthing-based Carpenter Box accountants and tax advisers UKTI and HSBC Bank.
