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Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training Alex Scott - Programme Manager, JBA Trust 20 June 2019, Flood & Coast 2019

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JBA Trust

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An independent charity that aims to enhance understanding and management of risks in the water environment by enabling research,

education and training

Future challenges

Knowledge, opportunity and shared understanding: how future skills transcend training

“Createanationresilienttofloodingandcoastalchangetotheyear2100”1

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1 DraftNationalFloodandCoastalErosionRiskManagementStrategyforEngland,EnvironmentAgency,2019

The flood and coastal sector today

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•  117,000 people work in the flooding and coastal change sector

•  Multiple disciplines: engineering, ecology, environmental science, hydrology, software development, economics…

•  Rapid development of digital technologies (BIM, big data) •  Challenges within the sector (diversity, gender balance, skills

shortages)

•  Uncertainty in future scenarios - need adaptability and interdisciplinarity

Skills/demand in water and environment sector

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2 2016 Water And Environment Skill Shortage Survey, CIWEM & matchtech, 2016

Current skill shortage perceptions: 1) Flood Risk Engineer 2) Civil Design Engineer 3) Mechanical Design Engineer 4) Hydraulic Modelling 5) Electrical Design Engineer 6) Process Design Engineer 7) Geo-environmental Engineering 8) Environmental Assessment/ Auditing 9) Geotechnical Engineering 10) Ecology

Future (5-10 years) skill shortage perceptions: 1) Flood Risk Engineer 2) Mechanical Design Engineer 3) Civil Design Engineer 4) Hydraulic Modelling 5) Process Design Engineer 6) Electrical Design Engineer 7) Geo-environmental Engineering 8) Geotechnical Engineering 9) Ecology 10) Environmental Assessment/Auditing

Skills and demand in engineering industry

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3 Skills & Demand in Industry 2017 Survey, The Institution of Engineering and Technology

Meeting the demand

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•  Knowledge exchange and sharing best practice is applicable at all stages and levels of training, education and skills acquisition across multiple disciplines

Schools

Communities Higher education

Professional development

Communities

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•  Aim to raise awareness and resilience through engagement and education

•  Supported by use of innovative visualisation tools and physical models of rivers and coasts

•  Working with organisations and individuals to engage communities at variety of events

−  Local Flood Action Groups

−  Charities (Rivers Trusts, National Trust)

−  EA Community Engagement Officers

How attractive is a career in FCERM?

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4 Engineering Skills for the Future, Royal Academy of Engineering, 2019

Schools

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•  FCERM represented in curriculum, case studies, empowering teachers, easily accessible teaching resources

•  STEM activities and CPD e.g. Environmental Engineering Day

•  Role models passionate about FCERM (women, BAME, LGBT+)

•  Apprenticeships and University Technical Colleges

•  FCERM community working with education providers to identify skills demand and influence curriculum

“Engineering continues to remain largely invisible in the school education system” and “there is a shortage of specialist subject teachers”

Higher education

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•  Higher education is still an important pathway to professionalengineeringcareers

•  Multiple pathways: ‒  ‘Traditional’ degrees ‒  Degree apprenticeships ‒  FloodandCoastalEngineeringdegreeprogramme(Brunel & HR

Wallingford) •  Industry needs to engage with academia to steer course content and help

create the demand from students for relevant courses •  Bursaries and scholarships increase uptake of

specific courses •  Advanced training short courses (NERC ATSC)

2019 Studentship Awards

Professional development

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•  Upskilling and reskilling to maximise opportunities of new digital paradigm5

•  Development frameworks from professional bodies e.g. CIWEM, IET •  JBA Trust Scholarships for Flood and Coastal Risk Management

postgraduate training at Lancaster University ‒  flexible and accessible (study & work) ‒  LLFAs, Councils, Rivers Trusts ‒  PgCERT, PgDIP, MSc ‒  multidisciplinary

5 Engineering Skills for the Future, Royal Academy of Engineering, 2019

Knowledge exchange (industry – academia)

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•  Collaborative research ‒  Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) ‒  Industrial PhDs with placements in

FCERM organisations (NERC CASE Studentships)

•  Non-stationarity and flooding workshop7

•  EPSRC Senior Fellowship in the Role of Digital Technology in Understanding, Mitigating and Adapting to Environmental Change6 (‘Flood Risk Sprint’)

6 Flood modelling sprint workshop report 7Workshopreport:Canthepastbeareliableguidetothefuture?

Opportunities

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•  Raise awareness and inspire through STEM activities or work experience

•  Support technical and vocational training opportunities e.g. apprenticeships, placements, projects

•  Engage with education providers to help shape curriculum at all levels

•  Make skills development more accessible through bursaries and scholarships

•  Use mechanisms that support knowledge exchange and collaboration e.g. KTPs, PhDs, Industrial studentships, workshops