Pictured: Simon Griffiths

Boosting the number of women engineers could help solve a growing skills shortage in manufacturing according to a leading expert.

Simon Griffiths, Chief Executive of the Manufacturing Advisory Service - West Midlands (MAS-WM), believes companies in the region are missing out on a valuable solution to tackling ageing workforces and a lack of new talent coming into the sector.

The former GKN and Land Rover engineer is keen for firms to broaden their recruitment net and do more to help change perceptions of industry with women at an earlier age.

He's also adamant that education could do more to dispel myths of manufacturing being 'dirty' and 'unskilled' and called for greater collaboration and communication between the two parties.

"I talk to a lot of companies and the majority say they can't find the right people to fill the roles, yet many limit themselves to half the available workforce by focusing too much on male engineers," explained Simon.

"This is an age-old tradition and one that we need to change if we are to avert the type of skills crisis that could seriously hamper the growth of manufacturers in the region."

He continued: "But the blame doesn't just lie with industry. There is also a massive role for education to play - schools, colleges and Universities - to do more to get young women interested in a possible career in engineering.

"We need to showcase our best factories, we need more women role models to talk to young people and we all need to shout more about the good things we do here. Only then can we expect to even the gender ratio."

The Department for Business Innovation & Skills and the Automotive Council recently ran a pilot programme encouraging school head teachers and career advisers to visit local manufacturers under the 'See Inside Manufacturing' programme. 

This has given them the chance to see 'clean, light and airy manufacturing facilities' and a snapshot of the type of advanced technologies employed every day.

MAS-WM is hoping to build on this positive start by brokering stronger links between local companies and schools and teaming up with former Apprentice star Jo Cameron on empowering women in manufacturing.

"Only by influencing youngsters early in their life can we begin to show them that engineering is an exciting career. Hopefully, if we can develop new initiatives that facilitate this, we can encourage more women to make their mark in manufacturing.

"We've got some great examples in the West Midlands, none more so than Anna Stevenson who is Managing Director of Millennium Pressed Metal. She started the rapid turnaround specialist from scratch in 2003 and has successfully grown it to a £1.8m turnover, employing 23 people. It's exactly this type of female ambassador that we need more of!"

MAS-WM, which  is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), has assisted over 6000 companies to improve their products, productivity, process and people, adding over £250m to the turnovers of those firms.