June 2019

has become a short attention span, high-impact age of image and video consumption, primarily through social media. It’s time for us to polarise on a different mindset and one we’ve been struggling to relate to: “Don’t tell me, show me.” So, what can we do? At Routeco, we’ve found robotic demonstrations and application videos to be highly effective at getting this audience’s attention and educating them on the length and breadth of what we really mean when we use the term “engineering”. Many young people still think it means nuts, bolts and grease. That’s the bottom line. We often show videos of theme park rides, car manufacturing and food production – popular content for TV shows – and this seems to spark their interest because it’s both relatable and genuinely interesting. Another strategy we find to be effective is our real-world stories. Anyone can peddle the “dream” of a career in engineering, but we ask our own apprentices to share their experiences and their journey into the engineering world. It makes things real and obtainable, something a glossy brochure or Web site will struggle to achieve. We invite young engineers to see for themselves what’s possible and imagine: “If that person can do it, then so can I”. Engineering has so much to offer the next generation; in fact, it’s going to be a critical part of their future. With the growth of automation and process control, some 80% of jobs are predicted to be performed by robots within the next 20 years. It really is the field to be working in for a bright future. So, what’s our point here? It’s a simple one: change your course and start doing something about it, along with us. This is our responsibility. Don’t wait for a shortage because, by that time, it’s going to be too late to find quick solutions to the lack of available engineers. That can and will have a drastic impact on our businesses. Start being more proactive: engage with your local schools, colleges, academies and look for a suitable UTC to partner with. Did you know that the UTCs work in tandem with organisations to prepare young people, from 14 years old, to be trained and job-ready (not just work-ready) by the time they’re 18? The opportunities are out there in abundance. IR 4.0 is here. It’s time for us to start doing things a little differently around here. n GAMBICA SUPPLEMENT n BELOW: We need to inspire the next generation of engineers The new one: the AX/the KX. Opens up perspectives. The new generation of compact and small enclosures. ZZZ ULWWDO FR XN