Steph welcomes Enginuity CEO, Ann Watson, and Poppy Bramford, Senior Policy Manager at Enginuity, to discuss the pressing issue of immigration in relation to the UK's skill gap. 

Steph, Ann and Poppy examine the Government’s white paper on immigration and its potential ramifications for SMEs in the manufacturing and engineering sectors. 

Poppy and Ann highlight the Government's assumptions about reducing immigration to spur domestic skill acquisition, and the flaws in the current skill system that may hinder this vision. 

They also discuss the essential role of immigration in filling critical skill gaps, the necessity for a long-term national skills plan, and the undervaluing of technical education in the UK. 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:22 Current Immigration Policies and Their Impact

02:47 Challenges for SMEs and Skills Shortages

04:20 Government's Role and Timing Issues

05:33 The Importance of Long-Term Planning

08:21 Valuing Technical and Vocational Education

14:22 The Need for a National Skills Plan

20:17 Cultural Shifts and Transferable Skills

31:12 Conclusion and Call to Action

Get in touch with the podcast at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.