I was honoured to be inducted into the Motor Transport Hall of Fame this month, and it was lovely to meet up with former colleagues from my time in transport journalism and the RHA at the MT Awards. The event also prompted me to compare the HGV driver shortage and the shortages in other sectors – particularly in the advanced engineering and manufacturing sector, in which I have worked for the past three-and-half-years.
There are differences, most obviously HGV drivers’ need for a licence, their often long and unsocial hours, and the poor and worsening state of their main place of work, the road network. I’m not sure there is anything quite comparable to the long delays and conditions experienced at some large distribution centres – although I did hear of essential installation and maintenance engineers being refused access to toilets last year.
But there are many similarities with engineers and technicians. Shortages were predicted in both transport and engineering, albeit they have been made worse by Covid. Both sectors have an ageing workforce and have failed to attract, train and retain new recruits. And transport is far from alone in criticising the attitude of some large customer companies.
Both sectors are suffering from fewer workers being available from abroad. Engineering has been on the government’s shortage occupations list since it started, which has helped; but not hugely.
Skills has been the biggest issue in most engineering sectors for years. Last month, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, which receives two-thirds of its funding from government and provides services ranging from research and innovation support to apprentice training, said in its annual review: “The workforce crisis in UK manufacturing is well known. There is an acute skills gap that prevents manufacturers from successfully exploiting new technologies.”
This matters. Contrary to popular belief, we still make things in this country, albeit not as much as we used to. Almost 10% of GDP is from manufacturing and it accounts, indirectly, for about 23% of GDP (‘The true impact of UK manufacturing’, Oxford Economics, 2018). Think, for example, of manufacturing and road transport. Manufacturers depend on trucks, and without them trucks would have much less to do.
There is potential for a green resurgence in manufacturing, aided by digital analytics to drive efficiencies, new technologies such as additive manufacturing, and increased interest in reshoring. I’d like to see efficient UK transport firms benefiting from a booming manufacturing sector. But we have to get the staffing issues sorted out.
Why is it that the UK has such workforce problems? There are many reasons, few easy answers, and I am wary of generalisations and wishful thinking. These are very challenging times and even the best firms can suffer set-backs.
Government aims for much-needed improvements to school and further education, and to make school leavers better prepared for work. Firms are urged to support that effort. Improved tax incentives for training would help – perhaps with something akin to the “super-deduction”, announced in March to encourage capital investment.
I am encouraged most by firms which are well led, invest in and motivate their employees, and respect people for the work they do and commitment they show. Such firms, in any sector, have less difficulty recruiting and training. They tend to have great staff, providing great products and services, and they show the way forward.
Jack Semple, head of the Engineering and Machinery Alliance of trade associations, former transport journalist and director of policy at the RHA
