Narrowing the skills gap

Mike Oxley, National Training Manager at Salamander Pumps, explores the impact of the skills shortage in the pump sector and outlines some ways his company is working to overcome the challenges it presents.

The widespread skills shortage within the UK’s pump sector is rightly causing concern among manufacturers. The demand for highly skilled individuals far outweighs supply, with vacancies remaining unfilled for long periods.

With many experienced professionals nearing retirement and the younger generation lacking the skillset and motivation to learn the craft, future industry innovation and growth are at risk.
The long-term impact of the skills shortage is only being escalated by the pace of change happening in the wider marketplace. Put simply, technological advancements have transformed how many industries operate. And the pump manufacturing sector is no different.

From checking our bank balance to ordering groceries, smartphones are now the easiest and most effective way for customers to interact with businesses. Therefore, it is no surprise that this pattern is repeated in the home and the workplace.
Whether it’s processing customer data, monitoring heating usage and water flow rates, or reducing energy consumption and water wastage, smart technology can be a cost-effective solution to monitor the efficiency of appliances.

Spearheaded by the public’s growing interest in becoming more sustainable and Government legislation aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 2025, many manufacturers are exploring smart technology to develop innovative and sustainable alternatives to ensure they remain competitive and stay ahead of any market changes.

To meet these evolving customer demands and enhance their service offering, manufacturers need to ensure that training is a top priority. Success relies upon consistently upskilling the workforce so they can not only lead on product innovation, but also educate and promote the benefits to the customer.
This is where the main challenge lies for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, the experienced professionals embarking on retirement are not able to pass on the knowledge they have acquired throughout their careers due to the depleting workforce. With a lack of labour, the younger generation may be spread too thinly and be unable to find the time to acquire the skillset needed to meet the demands of today’s consumer.

The solution will undoubtedly take time and investment, but the long-term impact of failing to act now and provide sufficient training programmes will be significantly damaging.
Here at Salamander Pumps, we offer a free online e-school with a host of helpful training modules, which includes games, interactive imagery and animated technical videos, for installers, students and merchants alike.

The Salamander e-School will help installers, college students and merchants learn more about Salamander’s products, our applications and best practice for installing our range of shower and whole house pumps.

Another solution is to access the burgeoning workforce early, supporting schools and colleges by providing high-quality, useful training for the next generation. From my experience, colleges in the UK are full of keen and enthusiastic students eager to get into the industry. Through the provision of practical training, real-time demonstrations, and expert guidance, I guide students through each stage of pump installation – from recognising potential issues to implementing effective solutions. This approach provides students with firsthand experience of their future careers and valuable best practices to gain a competitive edge ahead of joining the workforce. Ultimately, providing students with expert industry insight will help them recognise the potential opportunities they can pursue and, consequently, enhance recruitment and retention rates across the UK.
It is also essential for manufacturers to offer robust training in-house and encourage some of the more experienced professionals to learn alternative solutions, such as Air Source Heat Pumps, as this will also be a major factor in closing the skills gap.

Some of the most effective training resources available can be found online. For those looking to learn and upskill, there are a plethora of webinars and online training courses available within the industry, but open days and training events are equally as practical. However, the full impact of these resources will only be truly felt if they are promoted and made accessible to the largest possible audience. And that responsibility falls onto us – those already in the industry.

Implementing targeted marketing campaigns is most effective to ensure those in the industry or entering the workforce have visibility of useful webinars and online training courses.
For younger audiences, this may involve collaborating with prominent digital influencers to promote the courses through their social media platforms. In addition, advertising in respected industry publications can also be utilised to ensure seasoned installers and manufacturers are informed about new training opportunities.

Arguably, however, the most effective way to gain invaluable experience and learn on the job is through apprenticeships, and the importance of this cannot be overlooked.

Apprenticeships can play a critical role in shortening the skills gap by providing on-the-job training, helping trainees develop confidence and maturity quickly, and offering real-life knowledge that cannot always be gained from a textbook or classroom. Having apprentices learn as they earn means they are motivated to be upskilled and remain ahead of any new industry or technological developments. As the National Training Manager for Salamander Pumps, my passion truly lies in supporting and advising others so our industry can continue to thrive. Whether it’s installing, developing or identifying the correct products, meeting customers’ ever-changing demands through training is critical to narrowing the ongoing skills gap.  www.salamanderpumps.co.uk