< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk ENGINEERING accommodating women can feel unwelcoming and even hostile. Yet, in not accommodating women, this is turning away skilled labour that the sector cannot afford to lose. To avoid this, employers should be actively targeting female STEM graduates. Firms who do not actively target female candidates are likely to receive significantly fewer applications from women than those who do. Furthermore, being present at clubs and societies for female STEM workers (such as Women in Tech) increases visibility to the target population, and ensures the firm aligns themselves as a women’s ally. Even more underrepresented than women are those with registered disabilities. STEM industries employ 75% fewer people with disabilities than other industries. Given that workers with disabilities have adapted to work in an able-bodied environment, they have already proven that they can overcome more significant challenges than the average person. This means that they may have a unique perspective on engineering, making those with disabilities extremely valuable staff members. Those from BAME backgrounds are also less likely to find engineering jobs. Despite 30% of engineering graduates being BAME, only 9% make it into the industry. This is best addressed in educational spaces. For example, Coventry University has a programme for BAME STEM students, to help them anticipate and navigate barriers to entry. Local firms could sponsor these workshops, giving information on what engineering jobs entail, and promoting employers who welcome diverse candidates. A way to encourage young, underrepresented people into engineering is through Higher Technical Qualifications. Although 40% of 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:51 Page 3www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link ENGINEERING graduates have STEM degrees, there remains a shortage of medium skilled entrants into the industry. For those who do not want to attend University, Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) improve young people’s readiness for work by teaching practical and practical skills. However, only 12% of UK students engage with this type of learning, compared to 36% in the US and 22% in Canada. This shortage could be explained by a lack of endorsement from schools. According to a survey, only 25% of 11 – 19-year-olds had heard about engineering from a career’s advisor. This discourages young people from considering engineering as a future career. The obvious solution would seem to be increasing community outreach work. This could be through talks and workshops in schools, accepting more work experience placements, and sponsoring STEM school trips and awards programmes. This places the spotlight on both the sector and the business. Whilst the outlook for the engineering sector may seem bleak, there is hope on the horizon. The war in Ukraine has encouraged investment in domestic infrastructure, such as gas and electricity pipelines. Furthermore, industry leaders have pledged to accelerate investment in decarbonisation, as a bid to tackle climate change. These projects will include prioritising low-carbon heat, scaling up the availability of electric vehicle chargers, and low-carbon retrofit and refurbishment of commercial buildings. Healthy investment in the sector means that employers have the ability to dedicate time to outreach programmes and invest in apprenticeships and training. There is a ready and able workforce already out there, those people simply need a helping hand to get them through the door. © stock.adobe.com/Gorodenkoff 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:51 Page 4 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk LOGISTICS The East Midlands may be a key logistical region but that does not mean it’s free from the challenges faced by the industry – challenges that the Government is not helping with. T he East Midlands is indispensable when it comes to logistics, with its strong air and rail links and the ‘Golden Triangle’ of logistics for road. Owing to its central location, the region is within a four-hour drive of about ninety-five per cent of the UK population, giving it a major advantage over other regions, while the East Midlands Airport is the busiest pure cargo hub for air travel in the country. This has served the East Midlands well, but like with the rest of the country, the current economic climate and the recession has not made business easy – and the war in Ukraine has hit the logistics and freight industries especially hard on account of the sharp rise in fuel prices. The price of fuel spiking has put Stretched thin Stretched thin 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:54 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link LOGISTICS everyday commuters into untenable situations, so the impact on those to which transport is their entire business is far worse. While schemes and initiatives are in place for alternative-fuel vehicles such as electric or gas, the infrastructure isn’t there yet. Perhaps the current crisis could have been mitigated if more had been done to explore that in times of plenty, but hindsight is 20-20 and the expenses were hard to justify for many in the industry. The issue of rising fuel costs compounds a further issue the industry is facing; that of the shortage of HGV drivers. That problem of staff shortages is even less likely to go away despite plans to “bridge the gap” and train more people to become hauliers. Such has been said for a hundred other sectors including STEM sciences, medicine and teaching, and it’s unlikely that the initiatives will achieve much more in that regard than bandaging the wound. Questions then must be asked on what can be done within the industry to appeal to potential employees to take up the profession. If the issue is of cost and © stock.adobe.com/malp 44 Á 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:54 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk LOGISTICS wages then it’s unlikely the spiking fuel prices will allow for better pay, but if it is something else that drives people away then perhaps that can be addressed. This issue compounds with the recent budget and announcements that not only are we officially in a recession, but that Jeremy Hunt wishes to increase the minimum wage to fuel growth. Where, exactly, SMEs are supposed to find the funds to accomplish that is unknown, but then so is where the Government will find the funds to stick to any of its promises either, so we’re in good company. On the staffing side of thing, matters grow worse when the age of the workforce is considered. Almost 40% of the transport and logistics workforce is over 50 years old, which means they are all soon to retire but also the group of people classified most susceptible to COVID, influencing people to leave the workforce. Additionally, younger people and women have always been discouraged from or not attracted to roles within the logistics industry; the environment appears to be almost exclusively male dominated, and most of the drivers and staff are older men, portraying a workforce that does not engage well with change and does not relate to women and younger generations. Unfortunately, these features limit the talent pool substantially and add many new challenges for the industry when it comes to new hires. Roles like warehouse staff or HGV drivers are very demanding, exhausting, and sometimes even dangerous; the lack of attractive qualities has not made the remunerative packages particularly appealing to potential applicants, who have only witnessed small increases in 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:54 Page 3www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link LOGISTICS © stock.adobe.com/Image'in wages and limited training opportunities. These elements have been influencing people’s tendencies to leave the roles or not to apply for them. The most prominent reason behind the workforce shortages however has been Brexit. Since the results of the referendum, many non-UK natives have been fleeing the country to either go back to their families, or to go look for work elsewhere as they felt the UK could not offer them the same job security it had been giving them anymore. This sense of uncertainty has pushed many people away from the country, seeing the logistics industry, which used to be one of the industries that benefitted from the non-UK workforce the most, lose an incredible asset. The application of new borders, new rules and new regulations as a result of Brexit, has made circulation of not only goods, but people too extremely difficult, and hence it has made it challenging for drivers to move between the European Union and Great Britain. These new challenges have really discouraged drivers to embark on journeys across borders that were most likely to be problematic and emphasised an initial shortage of skills and talent even further. Already, businesses whose owners voted for Brexit are asking for migrant workers to be allowed into the country, but right-wing sentiment is staunchly preventing that, and already many Conservative MPs have threatened to walk out if Rishi Sunak were to attempt to negotiate a Switzerland-style deal for the UK. It is unlikely that any improvement on bringing migrant workers in will happen in the coming years, leaving the UK to try and make the most of its existing – and stretched thin – workforce. 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:54 Page 4 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk AUTOLINK Different Cars for a Different Year Hyundai Ioniq 5 Volvo XC40Land Rover DiscoveryVolvo XC60 There are many different cars around these days, so we figured it was worth looking at a few vehicles to tickle your fancy for the new year. Different Cars for a Different Year 46-49.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:55 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link AUTOLINK SUVs Now, nearly every single manufacturer has an SUV on offer these days. The Volvo XC40, is one of the safest examples of this type of car on the market today, while the brand’s XC60 is equally brilliant if you want something a little bigger. Then there’s the Volvo XC90 if you need something even larger. If you’re looking to head into the world of all-electric SUVs, then the keen- handling Skoda Enyaq iV might be a good fit. The larger-than-it-looks Hyundai Ioniq 5 is excellent in every area, too - including comfort and safety. If you’re at the higher end of the market, then the luxurious BMW X5 or the air-suspension of the Land Rover Discovery are both very comfortable. The Audi Q7 is great for luxury but is set up more for driveability, although that’s not to say it’s uncomfortable by any means. Saloons Saloon cars generally don’t have the same level of practicality as SUVs. But for those who need to drive something bigger, they can be a perfect choice. On that note, we shouldn’t forget to mention the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Admittedly, the E-Class has often been seen by some as a car for your retirement (unlike its more personality-driven rival BMW 5 Series), and you may not feel that you want to drive around in something that effectively tells the world your age. Nevertheless, the reality is that the E- 48 Á BMW X5 Skoda Enyaq iVAudi Q7Volvo XC90 46-49.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:55 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk AUTOLINK Class has been given a radical makeover in recent years. It has got sharper looks but has lost none of the good features that made it perfect for business-oriented drivers, notably that it’s luxurious, spacious, and practical. However, the air suspension that we’d recommend to maximise comfort is an optional extra. Likewise, the 5-Series is a best-of-all- worlds contender that blends comfort with space, practicality, technology, and keen driveability. The Audi A6 is also worthy of mention for similar reasons. If, due to the cost-of-living crisis, premium brands are out of your price range for the time-being, the excellent Skoda Octavia might suit. It has got a classy cabin and is very comfortable to drive while still being a practical and well-equipped choice. The Volvo S90 is refined in terms of ride comfort, too. While if you want something cheaper that’s good to drive but is also quite supple in terms of suspension, then the Mazda6 is well worth checking out. The Skoda Superb is a car that also lives up to its name. Skoda now makes some of the best executive cars on the market outside of the premium brands, and you might find you get more for your money versus a Volkswagen. Estates If you’re after something with the platform of a saloon but the practicality of an SUV, then why not consider an estate? BMW has long been an advocate of the estate car. Its 5-Series Touring version is arguably the best of the lot, with rear air suspension as standard and a good line-up of engines to suit economy and power, including a plug-in hybrid version. Mercedes-Benz is getting in on the act, as well, with the E-Class Estate, which Mercedes-Benz E-Class BMW 5-SeriesAudi A6Volvo S90 46-49.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:55 Page 3www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link AUTOLINK offers all the benefits of the saloon with increased practicality. At the same time, the Audi A6 Avant might be worth adding to your list, albeit we’d recommend the optional air suspension to improve the ride comfort. Regardless of what car you’re after, write up a shortlist and make sure you test drive each one before committing to buying or leasing anything. Skoda Octavia Mazda 6 Skoda Superb BMW 5-Series Touring Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate Audi A6 Avant 46-49.qxp_Layout 1 30/11/2022 09:55 Page 4Next >