Dear Sir,
I watched the ‘ Made in Britain ‘ program this evening with considerable interest and would like to offer my comments following my 43 year career in Engineering in the Ministry of Defence.
There is no substitute for experience and there are a lot of experienced Engineers who have been either retired or made unemployed and keen to pass on their priceless Knowledge. If a selection of these people were to be offered an opportunity to educate young ‘ would be ‘ Engineers, most would be keen to pass on their skills. We should be making use of this option while we still have this wealth of skills available. There are many genuine Engineers who would be prepared to pass on their priceless experience for minimal pay if they thought their efforts would get this country back on track.
Innovation does not necessarily come from academia yet there is a strong emphasis on university trained students when one is looking for a job. In my experience, university students are good at taking the credit for work done by others. Frank Whittle developed the jet engine before he obtained his degree !
We need to make use of the thin knowledge base that we still have and limit the restrictions imposed by health and safety. Health and safety is essential but like the whistle manufacturer said in the program, lets be sensible about it.
I was fortunate in being able to spend five years as an MOD apprentice, ten years in the Design Office, twenty five years as Design Authority for the decoy systems on Polaris, joint innovator in the only change in the production of pyrotechnics since the Ming Dynasty ( comment by Professor Bailey at Shrivenham )and the remainder of my time on modern battery technology.
During my latter years, I interviewed and enrolled the last of the MOD apprentices, so I do know what I am talking about.
I, and a lot of Engineers would be keen to get involved with any scheme which gave youngsters the opportunity to become an Engineer in any shape or form.
Let us give those youngsters who would like to be involved in Engineering a good start.
Our Government needs to cut the groove. If I can oil the wheels, let me know.
Malcolm Place M.I.E.D. ph. 01892 669004
