MORE COMPANIES are trying to
lure retired engineers back to work
and persuade staff to delay drawing
their pensions in an attempt to plug
skills gaps in their business, The
Engineer has discovered.
While efforts to recruit skilled
younger workers might get a higher
profile, bodies representing engineering
and technology employers
say increasing efforts are being
made to make staying in the workplace
a more attractive prospect
than leaving for the golf course.
A survey by EEF, the manufacturers’
organisation, on how its
members are preparing for an
ageing workforce, showed more
than three-quarters were concerned
about the loss of specialist skills
due to retirement, with 59 per cent
citing this as their greatest concern.
More than 200 companies were
questioned for the survey.
EEF’s report concluded: ‘To
avoid this problem companies need
CAREERS
Flexible formula
Retaining the skills of older workers and encouraging retired staff to return to work
is top priority for firms facing specialist labour shortages. Anh Nguyen reports ■ Practical studies
The nuclear sector is one area of the economy where the skills of mature workers are particularly important
to promote workplace practices
which, where necessary, can make
it attractive for older workers to
remain in work. Our survey shows
that many of our members are
already embracing initiatives such
as offering flexible working or
winding-down schemes, but there
is scope for these to be offered
more widely in the future.’
According to EEF nearly 38 per
cent of companies already practise
flexible working and a further fifth
has recently implemented it or is
willing to consider it.
Further evidence of the trend
came from a recent poll carried out
by the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers, which found that more
than 50 per cent of all engineering
companies have had to encourage
retired engineers to come back
to work.
The nuclear sector is one area
where the retention of mature skills
is particularly important as the
58 the EnGIneeR 21 APRIL–4 MAY 2008
nation gears up for a new generation
of nuclear power plants.
‘We are very open to keeping
people beyond retirement on a
case-by-case basis,’ said Peter
O’Brien, a spokesman for Nexia
Solutions.
‘We would look to be flexible,
within reason, to accommodate
these people and to retain their
skills.
‘For example, we have a senior
technical leader, Prof Harry Eccles,
who has stayed on with us beyond
retirement age, but he wanted to
reduce his hours, which we accommodated
as well. He works 23
hours a week now.’
O’Brien added: ‘Not only would
we encourage people to continue to
work if they want to, we are happy
to work round what they want to do.
In Harry’s case, it will be because of
his experience, his knowledge and
his skills. It was his wish that he
continue working.’
CAREERS IN BRIEF
Engineering students can get
practical experience while working
towards a masters degree on a
new course designed by INEOS
Manufacturing Scotland,
Heriot-Watt University and Forth
Valley College. Twelve students
interested in mechanical, electrical
or chemical engineering will be
sponsored by INEOS through the
five-year course and also gain
hands-on experience by working at
the company’s Grangemouth
manufacturing site.
■ Fast chartered route
Plymouth University has launched
four MEng courses for engineering
students which, it claims, offers
the fastest route to attaining
chartered status after graduation.
From September, the qualification
will be offered in computer
systems engineering, electrical and
electronic engineering, electronics
and communication engineering
and robotics.
■ Perfect partners
Blairs, a timber windows and doors
manufacturer, and Strathclyde
University’s department of design,
manufacture and engineering
management (DMEM) have won
the Best Partnership prize at the
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Scotland Awards. DMEM helped
Blairs to increase its capacity by
nearly half with the development of
a new manufacturing platform and
production planning system.
■ Energy leaders
Managers in the oil and gas
industry will be able to learn the
necessary skills to move up the
career ladder with a leadership
course at Dundee University. The
minimum two-year executive
masters programme provided by
Dundee’s centre for energy,
petroleum and mineral law and
policy comprises six modules
aimed at developing skills such as
strategic management.
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