In the first of 3 highlights looking at women in engineering, we catch up with Jamie-Lee Kean, Crestchic’s recently appointed Loadbank Technical Coordinator.

Supporting the company’s rental division – sits Jamie-Lee Kean. A relative newbie, Jamie-Lee relocated from her native Glasgow to take up the role of Technical Coordinator in May 2019.

Jamie-Lee agrees that her enthusiasm for engineering isn’t shared by all. “I always remember telling my family & friends what I wanted to do and a friend actually said ‘Oh what a shame! You could do so much better for yourself.’ I don’t think she had any understanding of what engineering is and what it brings to all of our lives. I don’t think a lot of people do.”

“It is the problem-solving element of engineering that I love. It is fascinating – I love looking at something and figuring out how it works and how I could apply my knowledge to make it work better! It is a really exciting time to get involved in engineering – with new technology meaning that things are changing all the time. I’d encourage people to forget that old stereotype of a high vis jacket and hat and get out there and discover what engineering is really all about.”

Despite being one of the most productive sectors in the UK economy, the engineering industry is in crisis. A Government study in 2017 identified that the UK would need around 186,000 skilled recruits each year until 2024 for the engineering sector to reduce the skills shortage. More recent studies put the number closer to 200,000.

In 2018, The Year of Engineering saw the government work with industry partners to deliver more than one million direct experiences of engineering. Follow up research by EngineeringUK Brand Monitor suggests a definite shift in perception among young people, but it is too early to truly assess whether the campaign will deliver tangible results.

As a business, Crestchic is keen to play a part in developing young engineers, working with the local college to help deliver apprenticeship programmes and offer work-experience opportunities, as well as actively recruiting and training apprentices within the business. To find out more about Crestchic product or career opportunities, get in touch with us through our contact page.