Laura Pantling, the Learning and Development Lead for the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers, ICME, was a speaker at the recent Cast Metals Federation, CMF, Members’ Meeting in Scotland.
Alongside ICME National President Robert Bell EngTech FICME (Corporate HSEQ Manager for Harland & Wolff Methil & Arnish Point Facilities Ltd), Laura was able to lead a discussion around the training needs for the industry and what ICME can offer in terms of technical and management/leadership training courses to support the development of early career professionals.
She explained that her employment is being funded by the Foundry Training Trust, as part of a wider Future Skills project for the UK foundry and castings industry, and was able to outline the range of programmes currently in place from ICME as well as asking for input from those at the meeting about the needs and wants of the industry.
The Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life near Coatbridge was the venue and provided a very suitable backdrop for the meeting, juxtaposing the past heritage of the area with the markets which are now being served by products manufactured in metal by the foundries in Scotland. The discussion included an exchange of ideas around key industry topics such as H&S, supply of raw materials, energy pricing challenges and the shortage of skilled employees. The museum, which boasts Scotland’s only operational heritage tramway, as well as a recreated mine with guided tours, miners’ cottages and an exhibition hall with working machinery, is based around the site of a 19th century ironworks.
The Foundry in a Box kit, used to showcase Casting as a Route to Manufacture by foundries working with schools, FE colleges and careers fairs, also featured in the meeting as a key way to help raise awareness of manufacturing. One of the attendees asked to borrow a kit with all the supporting information for one of their forthcoming Open Days which is aimed at encouraging the take-up on engineering apprenticeships at their company. Progress Rail explained how they are regularly using the kit which they have had at their South Queensferry facility for events and providing apprentices with an quick hands on overview of the casting process.
As Laura notes, “It was really useful to be able to hear directly from the industry participants and I can use the information to help ensure that ICME is able to offer relevant, up to date courses and professional development opportunities to support the foundry businesses. In particular an ICME certificated short course, that can be delivered in blocks of learning on some of the process basics for new recruits, was something that will now be explored by the ICME team.”
As Pam Murrell CMF CEO agreed saying, “Skills, and the need to both attract and retain staff, was a key concern of the meeting and is a consistent theme in our discussions with the industry, so the ability to discuss this and explore some options in person once again was extremely valuable. We are already looking forward to coming back next year as part of our regular programme of members’ meetings.”
