Future-proofing the UK shipbuilding sector

Shipbuilding has a proud heritage in the UK, but is the sector ready for the future? In 2022, the government set a number of targets for the industry. A new report has found that Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) will be vital to ensure that these can be met.

Shipbuilding is a hugely important sector to the UK, supporting over 44,600 jobs in 2021 across the four nations and adding £3.1 billion to the economy in 2022.

This workforce foresighting challenge comes after the government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (2022) which was designed to ensure that the industry will continue to be globally successful, innovative and sustainable. Key targets from this include:

• By 2025 all new vessels for UK waters should be designed with zero emission capabilities.
• UK civil shipyards should achieve productivity equivalent to Northern European shipyards by 2030, helping them to win commercial business.

The overall aim is to ensure that by 2030, the UK will be at the forefront of the technological and environmental innovations driving the sector.

What does it say?

This enlightening report identified several areas of concern that need immediate attention, including:

• The need for more training programmes to ensure that the workforce is ready for advanced robotics systems.
• The requirement for enhanced technical and safety training, particularly for roles involving welding and hazardous spaces.
• New skill requirements, particularly in sustainable manufacturing and compliance with industrial standards, are not currently catered for.

What are the key recommendations?

The report says that action is needed to ensure that the shipbuilding industry can meet the targets set out in the National Shipbuilding Strategy. It makes some key recommendations, including:

• Use the FOPs to ensure that current workforce capabilities align with future needs, ensuring that employees are prepared for new technologies and processes. Training programmes should reflect this.
• New educational standards should be developed based on the insights from the foresighting process. Current gaps in knowledge and skills in the workforce can be bridged with short courses and continuous professional development programmes.
• Pinpoint where existing standards meet future role requirements and where new standards are needed, facilitating the development of a skilled workforce ready to adopt new technologies.
• Ensure collaboration between technologists, employers, educators and policymakers to ensure a diverse range of perspectives.
• Pursue more workforce foresighting cycles in the future to maintain a competitive edge.
• Potential technological solutions such as hydrogen, ammonia, wind propulsion, advanced data, AI and robotics have also been identified.

The report found that by implementing these recommended actions, organisations can effectively prepare their workforce for the future, ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in an evolving technological landscape.

Where has the skills information come from?

The report by the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland (NMIS) was generated in partnership with Innovate UK’s Workforce Foresighting Hub. The process involved working with the Catapult Network and Centres of Innovation to convene industry employers, educators, and domain specialists to assess capability needs and identify the skills needed to drive future growth.

The workforce foresighting process used a series of workshops and surveys to gather input from a range of relevant experts – covering technology, workforce development and education. The workshops, led by NMIS and the Shipbuilding Skills Taskforce, were focused on exploring challenges and potential solutions.

The report also developed Future Occupational Profiles (FOPs) to capture future skill needs, allowing comparison with current occupational standards.