Se 1 | Ep 11
It’s Electrifying

MTDCNC looks back at the recent Electric Revolution Skills Hub launch and reveals why a 169,000 jobs bonanza could be on the way if the potential of the new platform is leveraged.

169,000 new skilled jobs. That was the headline figure of the high-profile conference that launched the Electric Revolution Skills Hub (ERS Hub) recently.

More than 250 delegates heard how these new positions would need to be created over the next two years if the UK is going to transition to zero-emission vehicles, with industry experts making a passionate call for the power electronics, machines, and drives (PEMD) disciplines to come together.

They were told that skills and training people are the most significant barriers and that the ERS Hub could be the potential vehicle to overcome these by providing an integrated digital platform that will give inclusive access to training, development, and jobs.

Importantly, it will help companies to urgently build capacity in the supply chain so that the UK avoids becoming just a design house for new technologies as it has in other fast-emerging markets. 

“If action is taken now the country can still become a hotbed for the production and development of PEMD, generating more than £12bn of domestic revenue by 2025,” explained Deepak Farmah, Commercial Director at the ERS Hub.

Speaking at the conference, he continued: “We’ve let too many sectors disappear or become design houses, letting other countries manufacture our technologies – we can’t let this happen to electrification and clean mobility. The opportunity is huge, and we’ve got some of the brightest minds in the industry. Now is the time to seriously look at capacity and capability, ensuring we have the people in place – with the right skills – to take advantage of the emerging demand for PEMD.”

“Government has committed £500m to support 169,000 jobs in zero-emission vehicles and this is just the tip of the iceberg, electrification touches many industries, including aerospace, agriculture, energy and marine.”

The rallying call at the ERS Hub conference certainly seemed to work, with over 1,000 registered users already signed up and starting to engage with the platform.

At the heart of the platform will be the Body of Knowledge, which will promote a consistent view of PEMD and build a consensus for the disciplines required to upskill the UK workforce. 

It will help businesses attract new individuals to work in electrification and support growth in this vital industry by making training courses – including electrical engineering, laminations, motors, automation, and 3D printing – easy to find through a comprehensive catalogue.

Delivered by Coventry University and funded in partnership with UKRI and Innovate UK, the ERS Hub will host the industry’s first jobs board purely for electrification, providing a constantly updated list of available positions, the skills required for those roles and average remuneration.

The platform also supports academia and training providers by working with them to promote and encourage students to consider a career in this field and, importantly, connect with industry.

Carl Perrin, CEO of the Institute for Clean Growth & Future Mobility, was asked to close the event: “The two days showed how clear the needs of the PEMD sector are and how big the production opportunity is, as we shift to electrification. There was a lot to reflect on. Engineering solutions and financial investment are important for growth but – on their own – are not enough. People and how they interact with one another, work together, and collaborate will be what really makes things happen.”

“Importantly, the ERS Hub conference validated the appetite for exploring solutions for the future, with exciting conversations around growth initiated in Birmingham acted upon in the following weeks. Recent reports show early signs of success, with 30,000 platform visits and 560 courses from 225 different providers listed. There are also 100 jobs already live and this figure is growing by the week.”

Jaguar Land Rover, Lotus, maxon, Hewland and an army of SMEs used the conference to back its introduction.

One of these is Washington (UK) based Advanced Electric Machines Limited (AEM), a globally recognised designer and manufacturer of sustainable electric powertrain technologies. James Widmer, CEO and Founder of AEM, was part of a panel discussion at the conference and added his support: “The primary challenge most companies face is identifying and sourcing the essential skills required to meet market demands. The UK urgently needs a solution to upskill employees to compete globally – the ERS Hub is helping the sector to begin solving this critical problem that is holding back progress.”

Inspirational speakers

The ERS Hub Conference got off to a flying start, with Florbela Costa, Head of Engineering at Parvalux (a maxon company), and Charlie Martin, a British motorsport racing driver, delivering keynote addresses about their careers and aspirations for the sector.

Florbela explained how maxon had developed electrical motors used in a series of high-profile space explorations, including in NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter, which just completed its 50th flight on Mars.

Her career has taken her across four different countries, working with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, two features she believes have been key in helping create some of the most creative and innovative teams in manufacturing.

“A diverse team, with different educational/professional backgrounds, different personalities, and different cultures, all contribute to challenging ideas and pushing the boundaries of innovation. We need to harness as many ideas as possible to push the electrification agenda and make sure the UK takes its rightful place at the front of the race,” pointed out Florbela.

The response was unanimous when asked if Parvalux would get involved with the ERS Hub.

“Yes definitely! We are always looking for new partners and talent with the right skills for our industry, which matches perfectly with what the platform offers. The focus also has to be on getting school children more aware of electrification and it will be this support that fuels and sustains its expansion for the years to come.”

Charlie Martin, who recently finished second in the North American Lamborghini Cup, echoed Florbela’s comments, using her own personal career to show what can be achieved – even against the odds.

The former CNC machine sales specialist has overcome huge adversity since transitioning midway through her motorsport career, working with leading LGBTQ+ charities Stonewall, Mermaids, Athlete Ally and Racing Pride to improve visibility, acceptance and inclusion in motorsport. “We all have the power to change things and that’s what I find really exciting about the launch of the ERS Hub. We’re at the very start of the journey and a massive prize awaits if we can get more people to consider switching to this sector and, importantly, educating youngsters on all the career opportunities that exist here,” concluded Charlie.

For further information, please visit https://ershub.co.uk. A short video introducing the ERS Hub can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wJndgBmqiE.