The engineering industry is targeting ethnic minorities and women as part of
a recruitment drive to help it boost the number of people taking modern
apprenticeships to 10,000 by 2005.
The Engineering Manufacturing Training Association is looking to increase
its modern apprenticeship training numbers by 66 per cent in four years.
It plans to more than double the number of female apprentices, which
currently stands at only three per cent of its intake, from 180 to 400 by 2005.
EMTA also hopes to see the number of people training from ethnic minorities
double from 120 to 240 over the next four years.
The association believes one of the most effective ways of meeting its
targets is by increasing the number of schools that offer engineering
qualifications.
It wants to see a 12-fold increase in the number of schools teaching GSCE
engineering.
EMTA’s chief executive, Dr Michael Sanderson, hopes these will help end the
traditional view of engineering as an industry dominated by middle-aged men.
He believes that the Government’s backing of vocational training will help
the organisation meet its aims. He said, "These are ambitious targets and
we will need everyone’s help in the industry to achieve them.
"The Government’s new-found commitment to vocational training gives us
the chance to take our message into the classroom. We will be able to directly
explain to young people the high tech nature of today’s industry and the
countless opportunities it offers in our global economy."
EMTA announced its recruitment drive in its latest sector workforce
development plan.
By Paul Nelson
