Introduction
Submitted to: Migration Advisory Committee
We sent this briefing to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) following the announcement in August 2024 that the Home Secretary had asked the MAC to look at the reasons behind the reliance on international recruitment in key occupations, including Engineering Professionals and Information Technology & Telecommuniations Professionals.
The briefing gives an overview of the issues affecting engineering workforce numbers in the UK, and of the issues that the government can address to avoid future acute shortages. We focused on the types of role in shortage (or growing rapidly), and challenges in the skills system.
Who this is for
- MPs
- Policymakers
Key recommendations
Our briefing highlighted that:
- The engineering sector is large, broad and with a variety of routes to professional and skilled occupations.
- The engineering workforce does not yet reflect the broader population - implying that there are under-used talent pools.
- Shortage in the overall supply of engineers is a longstanding, challenging issue.
- Growth in demand can occur rapidly in cutting-edge sub-sectors.
- There is not yet adequate planning for workforce skills development.
We summarised issues in the education and skills system, which limit the domestic pipeline of engineering and technology professionals:
- The shortfall in supply starts at school age and inequities flow through to higher education.
- There is still work to do to ensure that vocational routes such as T Levels and apprenticeships provide opportunities for young people and an adequate supply of workers for industry.
We recommended:
- A strategic approach to workforce planning based on a robust understanding of workforce needs, with workforce planning linked to STEM education and skills planning.
- A focus on enhancing diversity within the STEM workforce.
