Realistic resolutions

RESOLUTIONS

Realistic resolutions

Despite tough economic and trading conditions throughout, 2015 was a successful year for the UK’s engineering and manufacturing sector. 2016 looks set to be equally as challenging, so instead of setting ourselves countless New Year’s resolutions for the sake of it, we’ve opted to focus our energy on a short yet important list. If the sector as a whole takes note, we can set ourselves up for a bright 2016 and beyond.

Research and innovate – This is the name of the game for the UK engineering sector. We’re one of the world leaders in engineering because we consistently innovate and if we as a country are to continue leading the way in engineering then we need to ensure we don’t focus solely on production.

Develop worker skills – Developing new products and releasing them into the market is the key priority for most businesses in our sector, but developing the skills of the workforce should be considered as equally important. Afterall, the more advanced an employee’s skills become, the greater and more advanced their output is likely to be.

Inspire the next generation – In the longer term, inspiring the next generation is critical to the health of UK engineering. With the shortfall of engineers already close to 55,000 and expected to get worse, proactive efforts today to introduce young people to the exciting world of engineering will pay off for many years in the future.

We’ll be doing our utmost throughout the year to hold these resolutions at front of mind and act on them where possible, giving us the greatest chance for a successful 2016. Here’s to another great year.