Semta develops competence measure for CNC skills

It has been developed following the release of Semta's: "Skills and the future of UK Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies" earlier this year, which revealed 21 per cent of UK engineering establishments have skills gaps within their workforce. Technical skills, including CNC machine operators, are where businesses are seeing the most gaps. The online tool aims to establish what development is needed among existing staff, as well as help support recruitment of further CNC operators, helping stamp out the skills gaps that businesses are facing and determine the training needs of workforces. Now in its final stages of development, Semta is calling on businesses to take part in a pilot programme. The pilot will allow engineering businesses that are experiencing CNC operator skills gaps to test the online tool and feedback on how easy they find it to use, and training recommendations they are implementing as a result. Philip Whiteman, chief executive of Semta said: "In listening to employer feedback, we realised that engineering companies are facing a real challenge in ensuring that CNC operators have the right skills. This tool will help employers work out if their employees lack the skills they need and to what extent, and, with the guidance of a Semta representative, put appropriate training in place to address it. "The pilot programme will ensure that when we roll the tool out more widely, it is precisely in line with the needs of employers." Companies interested in taking part in the CNC machinist diagnostic pilot programme should contact Semta Customer Services at the link below.