The Transport Committee has called on the Government to seize “once-in-a-generation” opportunities to secure the future skills pipeline for the UK’s transport manufacturing sector, amid mounting shortages and the rapid shift to cleaner technologies.
In a new report published today, MPs warn that manufacturers across aerospace, automotive, rail and maritime industries are struggling to access the skilled workforce they need at a time when the transition to net zero and advanced engineering is fundamentally reshaping job requirements.
The Committee says the UK’s long-standing strength in producing cars, buses, aircraft, trains and ships is at risk unless vocational training, apprenticeships and workforce development are better aligned with modern industry needs.
Evidence to the inquiry highlighted acute skills gaps across multiple subsectors, with witnesses stressing that the move towards electric vehicles, alternative fuels and digital systems has transformed the nature of manufacturing roles. MPs concluded that current training pathways are too slow to adapt and are failing to attract enough young people into what should be “lucrative and fulfilling” careers.
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