Engineering profession sets out manifesto
17 September 2019
The National Engineering Policy Centre, which represents half a million UK engineers, has published a manifesto calling for investment in skills, innovation, digitalisation, infrastructure and clean tech.
The National Engineering Policy Centre, which represents half a million UK engineers, has published a manifesto calling for investment in skills, innovation, digitalisation, infrastructure and clean tech.
Backed by 39 UK engineering organisations, the manifesto highlights recommendations to enhance the UK’s status as a world-leading innovation and engineering hub.
It is the first joint publication by the National Engineering Policy Centre, which was established earlier this year.
Engineering leaders at National Engineering Policy Centre’s first Plenary in July 2019. Credit: Royal Academy of Engineering.
The manifesto includes a number of actions across five key areas:
- Skills: Ensuring an adequate supply of engineering talent and securing the engineering skills needed for the future
- Innovation: Increasing innovation support for businesses and boost productivity, prioritising the ‘D’ of R&D
- Digital: Supporting a world-leading digital economy and a diverse pipeline of digital skills for the future
- Infrastructure: Delivering on the recommendations of the UK National Infrastructure Commission, which cover a range of priorities from roadbuilding to cutting waste
- Energy and climate change: Investing in the demonstration and deployment of new and existing low carbon technologies in industry.
Announcing the manifesto on 27 August, Prof Dame Ann Dowling, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, commented:
“From skills and infrastructure to energy and climate change, engineering expertise is critical to the challenges the UK faces. The issues we have identified here require long-term planning and action, irrespective of how the UK’s relationship with the EU changes over the next few months.
“The actions we propose today will enable the UK to make investment decisions that will create jobs and prosperity and drive sustainability, helping to build an economy and society ready to face the future. We look forward to working with policymakers from across the political spectrum to achieve these aims.”
