An 18-month review has revealed that the UK will be 450,000 skilled technicians short by 2020 unless action is taken to remedy the situation immediately.
Technicians, who are skilled to a professional level, will be needed to fill roles in engineering, science, medicine and other technical occupations, but there are currently only 1,500 people who are sufficiently qualified to take such jobs, according to the Technician Council.
Steve Holliday, the Council’s chairman and chief executive of National Grid, said: "The pace of technological development in the modern workplace is creating an urgent and growing demand for higher levels of technical skill and professionalism. An estimated 450,000 job opportunties will be created by 2020, which require these higher skill sets."
As a result, a "clear, credible plan of action to up-skill and increase the pool of home-grown talent" was required in order for the UK to remain competitive globally, he added.
To this end, the Council launched a set of eight recommendations aimed at employers, Sector Skills Councils and professional bodies today in a bid to help plug the gap. The aim is to develop a new professional technician standard and to support the creation of a recognised, formal registration and professional development process and pathway for practitioners.
Also present at the launch and lending their support to its aims were cabinet office minister, Oliver Letwin, and minister of state for further education, skills and lifelong learning, John Hayes.
