Comment & Analysis
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc in many industries and labour markets. Sectors such as aviation, tourism and many service industries suffered big demand drops and have had to downsize to weather the storm. Nevertheless, engineering is key to our recovery from the pandemic. PriceWaterhouseCoopers states that STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) jobs will continue to be in demand to drive productivity gains. As engineers, we should aim to use our skills to support the recovery and pivot towards a greener future.
In the immediate-term, we have already witnessed engineers rally to 3D-print visors for key workers, build ventilators in record time, and assist with the ongoing effort to develop vaccines by, for example, setting up vaccine manufacturing facilities. In the absence of a vaccine, engineers have built UV disinfection drones, products like this are important to help open up the economy safely. In the longer-term, investment in healthcare infrastructure is likely to increase in the next few years.
Apart from the obvious increase in doctors, nurses, radiologists, as well as medical equipment supply, aging IT systems urgently need to be updated. Some parts of NHS are still using fax machines in 2020, and needless to say the efficiency savings from digitisation is huge, freeing up doctors from admin tasks to focus on the patients. From designing medical equipment to building innovative healthcare solutions, engineers are central to this. As we emerge from the current pandemic crisis, we must not lose sight on future healthcare challenges, such as an aging population and further pressure on the healthcare system.
In manufacturing plants, the pandemic has accelerated trends towards digitisation. During lockdown, engineers have resorted to diagnose machinery issues via video calls (a parallel here to tele-health) and utilise data generated by the production process. The advent of 5G will no doubt increase the incentive to invest in smart factories so production data can be made widely available on cloud platforms, and hence better utilised by engineers working remotely or across the globe. Despite a downturn in demand for traditional goods such as cars, consumer spending could increase again in the medium term. Manufacturers will be wise to adapt their capabilities and even offerings to meet future demands. Moving from traditional methods to Industry 4.0 requires new skills in engineering, just like moving from a labour-intensive factory to an automated factory requires the workforce to re-skill from machinist to automation engineers. Industry 4.0 will need a workforce trained in data science, machine learning, simulations, system engineering and robotics, many of which are areas with skills shortages.
In the coming years, existing industries will grow again. New industries might also be created, reminiscent of those that sprung out from the 2008 financial crisis. Engineers will be shaping the future of the society and rebuild the economy. For that, we need a workforce that is representative of the society. How do we design inclusive solutions for a society if the team behind it is not diverse enough? In her book "Invisible Women,” Caroline Criado-Perez presents data to show that in many cases, products are consciously or unconsciously designed by men for men. She presents examples ranging from the daily inconvenience (speech recognition software are 70% more likely to understand men than women) to life-threatening (women involved in car collisions are 50% more likely to be seriously injured). In another example, people from ethnic minority backgrounds could be falsely identified by facial recognition software, highlighting the importance of having a truly diverse engineering team that reflects the customers it serves.
My message for engineering employers is to be creative during this challenging time. Act swiftly to find new revenue sources as consumer needs change. Be flexible with the workforce and embrace remote working for the long term if it suits employees. Do not abandon the drive for diversity and inclusion in tough times. As the workforce transitions from traditional to new industries with new skills, look to leverage transferable knowledge and experience, whilst investing in training people with new skills needed for the industry that emerge from the current pandemic.
For employees and students entering the job market, take note of the macro trends in the market. If you are to choose a degree or specialisation, choose one that, based on your current knowledge, will remain relevant in the future. Maintaining situational awareness of societal and technological progress is important to informing our opinion on that, and institutions such as the IMechE are well-placed to provide that resource and information.
If we want a strong and sustainable future we envisage, we need to employ a long-term view and get to work now. From healthcare, manufacturing to sustainability, policy-makers need to actively engage with the engineering community to rebuild the economy and develop robust solutions for future challenges. The decisions we make today will set up the crucial foundation for the next generation.