Introduce self Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery are the largest private employer in Lincoln. We are a large engineering company designing, manufacturing and servicing gas turbines, with 1600 employees a majority of who are engineers we need to maintain the supply of suitably enthusiastic people for the future of the business.
Why do we get involved in the education arena? Managing the competency profile of the Lincoln business is the driving force behind the links forged with education. In 2003 – there was a decline in the number of suitably qualified applicants for our Advanced apprenticeship programme and also nationally with the steady decline in the number of people interest in STEM subjects there was a noticable impact not only on apprenticeship recruitment but also graduates. The geographic location of the business also presents challenges in the recruitment of suitably qualified people so there is a need to develop our own skills based from the local community. What do we do? We work with 28 secondary schools from within Lincolnshire and in particular schools in the City of Lincoln. Annually we operate a Females into Industry Challenge. 20 Y8 girls from schools in Lincolnshire work on a challenge to design and make a desk tidy using CAD, manufacturing equipment and traditional hand skills. They are supported by our first year apprentices who act as mentors and role models for the two days. On the evening of the second day the main influencers of students careers choices; parents and teachers are invited to a buffet reception, where they see photographs of the girls working over the two days and hear the girls give presentations on their experiences, providing the business with immediate evaluation of the project. In Year 9 the same group of students are invited to return to undertake a 1 ay challenge of making a clock. Written evaluation takes place, by post, following the day and the offer of an engineering work experience placement, when they are in Year 10 is made to each participant. Also permission is sought to hold the names of the students on file to send them details of our entry level talent opportunities at the appropriate times. We also offer on an annual basis approximately 450 days work experience for school pupils aged 15/16 upwards. Almost all of these placements are in engineering areas. Visits to site are usually linked to the curriculum for example GCSEs or Diploma in Engineering. Students look at a specfic element of a subject area and discuss with relevant engineers and if appropriate undertake a tour of the main manufacturing facility. More recently we have been involved in working in partnership with different bodies for example the Lincolnshire and Rutland Education Business Partnership and Aimhigher, to support them in their aims to engage with more employers within the County. This has taken the form of giving a presentation and then as part of a workshop looking at the elements of our education programme and helping them to identify how this could work within their business. We can’t achieve everything on our own. We need to work in partnership.
Business Benefits Since 2003 we have seen a 30% increase in suitably qualified applicants for our Advanced apprenticeships. The Females Challenge has seen 22% of the original group applying for positions on our apprenticeship programme and with work experience in 2007 21% of those who undertook placements applied for a position on the apprenticeship programme. Partnership Benefits One organisation can’t do everything and when starting out working in partnership with the local Education Business Partnership and STEMPoint gave our business direction. These organisations know what is on the schools agenda relating to the curriculum and education priorities and they can help shape a businesses bright idea into a project that will not only work but get schools and students involved. They help to minimise the risks for businesses and without the partnership working Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery are involved in, we wouldn’t be benefitting as we are today. By working in partnership it can really make a difference to the education of young people and help them get switched on the STEM and improve the prosperity of businesses around the UK.
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