Manufacturing and engineering skills body Semta has revealed that a record number of entrants set out on modern apprenticeships in Scotland last year.
The group said it had helped more than 1,500 people embark on a career in the engineering industry in what it described as a boon to Scottish manufacturing and the wider economy.
It beat the previous year’s total of 1,394, and underlines an increase in confidence in the sector, given improving orders and trading conditions. Stewart McKinlay, sector development specialist, said the industry had made “major strides” in the last 12 months and that Scotland’s young people were keen to “earn and learn”.
Semta is also leading a three-year partnership project entitled Women in Engineering, designed to encourage more females into the profession.
It will offer a career enhancement programme, coaching and leadership training, but also campaigns to increase awareness of the benefits to business from a diverse workforce.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers announced the appointment of new president Group Captain Mark Hunt, who has vowed to encourage greater diversity during his period in the hot seat.
The RAF officer becomes the youngest ever president in the institution’s 167-year history.
“Women still make up a worryingly low proportion of the engineering workforce, at 6%, and I am determined to help break down the stereotypes that are putting women off joining this vibrant and exciting profession,” he said.