The UK engineering and technology sector faces an unprecedented challenge, with 173,000 new roles needed by 2030, according to EngineeringUK. This demand is particularly urgent in the transport sector, from truck and bus manufacturing to railway maintenance and automotive innovation. Attracting young people to transport engineering apprenticeships is essential to ensure a skilled, enthusiastic and innovative future workforce.
Engaging young people in engineering, especially through apprenticeships, should start early. Introducing engineering and its career pathways in primary and secondary education can spark interest. Initiatives such as STEM clubs, school visits from industry professionals and interactive workshops are pivotal. These activities demystify engineering and highlight its exciting, creative and impactful nature.
Francesca Hand, operations manager, FlixBus UK, believes there‘s no such thing as starting engagement with children too early. “One of the first things that got me interested in in the concept of engineering was a school challenge at the end of primary school,” she says. “We had to build a bridge using random objects to hold a specific weight. This experience, while not delving into technical details, introduced us to concepts such as structural strength and sparked our competitive spirit.”
Poppy Wolfarth, early careers business partner, MAN Truck & Bus UK, agrees. “Some of our greatest memories are made when we’re 5-7 years old – and we want to inspire young people to come into the industry, so we make it fun,” she reasons. “Recently, we took a TGE van to a primary school, where children answered questions about van colours and balloon capacity rather than technical details. This approach was highly engaging and received positive feedback from the school, leading to an invitation to return the following year.”
SUCCESS STORIES
Highlighting successful apprentices is a powerful tool for attracting new talent. Real-life stories of apprentices who have advanced within the company and achieved significant milestones can inspire others. These stories should be widely shared through social media, company websites and career fairs.
For example, Danielle Curtis, a mobile diagnostic engineer at East Yorkshire Buses, began her apprenticeship with First Bus and completed her final year at East Yorkshire Buses. Reflecting on her journey, Curtis highlights volunteering for Go-Ahead London shortly after qualifying, where she worked on electric vehicles for three months and subsequently earned a promotion. “It probably helped that I had experience in other sectors before coming into engineering,” Curtis explains. “I was a bit older than some of the other apprentices and I was quite hard on myself and driven which gave me a good reputation early on. But I wouldn’t change anything because it’s led to all the opportunities I’ve had and where I am now.”
APPRENTICESHIP ADVANTAGES
DAF Trucks UK offers an apprenticeship programme to its dealer network with roles in every part of the business, from front-of-house and business administration to management and technical engineering. “Explaining the potential savings an apprenticeship can offer candidates is important,” says Matt Coates, dealer support manager at DAF Trucks UK. “When compared to university graduates, the net difference can be upwards of £120,000, incorporating tuition fees and accommodation versus wages and education paid for by your employer and levy funds. Starting your career without debt is always an advantage. There‘s no reason for apprenticeships to have a negative reputation. You learn on the job, get paid while learning and emerge with a qualification that prepares you to be a fully qualified technician.”
Perceptions of gender roles also play a part, something the industry is addressing. This is one reason Hand became a STEM ambassador with Engineers Without Borders and Rolls-Royce, to clarify what these jobs entail. “I wanted to do something in engineering when I was 16, but it wasn’t seen as a woman’s job when I was at school,” adds Curtis. “If I’d have been given the opportunity to do the practical tasks then, like I did in my apprenticeship, I would’ve been able to prove myself and been taken more seriously.”
To attract tech-savvy young people, the transport engineering sector must leverage modern recruitment techniques. This includes using social media platforms, creating engaging online content, and using virtual reality and augmented reality to provide immersive experiences of a career in transport engineering. “In the next couple of years, we‘ll integrate new technologies into our apprenticeship programs, especially with our upcoming E-Truck and electric vans,” promises Wolfarth. “As part of our MAN+ additional skills program, we ensure all our HGV apprentices receive Level 3 IMI EV training. We provide additional support for them to complete this training, preparing them for the upcoming changes in our industry.”
INDUSTRY SUPPORT
Catherine Brown, human resources director at MAN Truck & Bus UK, underscores the importance of managing turnover rates while striving to meet industry demands for new roles. “We could be successful in attracting talent, but if we‘re also losing people simultaneously, our overall headcount remains stagnant,” she reasons. “Given the post-COVID competitive landscape, we‘ve implemented various retention strategies. We‘ve enhanced our benefits package, particularly for technicians, and we review their pay twice a year. Additionally, we‘ve standardised holiday entitlement across the company. Previously, our technician attrition rate was 22%, but we‘ve reduced it to 7%.”
The future of transport engineering depends on the successful recruitment and training of the next generation of engineers. By addressing the skills gap through apprenticeships, the sector can ensure it remains innovative and competitive. This requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders – industry leaders, educators, policymakers and communities.
Brown states: “While apprentices are crucial to filling the gap, our current cohorts are insufficient. We‘ve been collaborating with an agency to recruit skilled technicians from countries such
as South Africa and Nigeria, and we now have 13 technicians from abroad whose work ethic is phenomenal.
"We‘ve also joined a military resettlement scheme to support ex-service members seeking new roles,” she continues. “Additionally, we‘ve hired people on a temporary basis and recruited individuals who wouldn't ordinarily consider us.”
ROUTE TO THE TOP
Attracting young people to apprenticeships in transport engineering is a complex challenge that involves early engagement, collaboration with educational institutions, modern recruitment techniques and changing societal perceptions. With strategic efforts and support, a new generation of engineers can be inspired who will shape the future of the UK‘s transport sector. By focusing on these areas and working together, the sector could have the skilled workforce needed to thrive and innovate in the coming years.
Nick Elliott, chairman of the Society of Operations Engineers, concludes: “I joined road transport engineering as an apprentice, as did most of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers Professional Sector Council. And, while we have an industry that is great at doing good things and telling ourselves what we’ve done, we’re not so good at telling everyone else. On this point can I ask for help? Take this message and encourage anyone you meet to consider our industry.
“While we can ask for support, we cannot rely on others. Please talk to friends, colleagues, relatives, those young and the not so young, their parents, their friends and associates,” Elliott urges. “Explain the rewarding and fulfilling opportunities our industry provides – and point them towards businesses that need road transport engineers. We need more to join than leave.”
