Britain desperate for skilled workers

Press, 23 October 1984, Page 16

Britain desperate for skilled workers

NZPA staff correspondent London Britain is desperate for skilled workers to exploit new technology and reverse its economic decline, according to Government and industry sources. The official Economic Development Committee on Information Technology recently concluded: “If we fail to exploit it as urgently or effectively as other advanced nations we shall continue our decline to Third World status.” Its report continued as a stark statement showing the anxiety of official organisations to seize the opportunity before it became be too late. The availably of suitably skilled manpower was “one of the most critical issues of all,” it said.

“Too often contracts are being lost, and employment opportunities for the less skilled are being lost with them, because of the lack of a few key engineers.” The British Government, not altogether unaware of the problem, recently appointed a Minister-headed authority called Information Technology Skills Shortages Committee. The committee’s first report said that action beyond what was already planned or being considered was “required as a matter of urgency”. But education and training institutions have continued to be criticised for a failure “in responding to the now very insistent signals for skilled people.” The industry wants to back a new college specific-

ally to produce more people with the abilities required. Surrey University already has the expertise to develop the skilled people wanted in various aspects of new technology and is seeking business support to be able to go ahead with new projects. These included are a Master of Science programme in satellite communication engineering, a Bachelor of Engineering course in information systems engineering, and a Master of Engineering course in process biotechnology. The Economic Development Committee concluded that in spite of its policy last year urging more training “the over-all situation has not changed ... the only significant difference is that we are one year nearer the precipice.”