Articles
The UK continues to lead the way in many engineering disciplines, with more focus being put on the sector, and particularly the emerging aspects of it, than ever before. This is partly down to the current economic climate, with both political and public opinion reflecting the fact that many want to move away from a heavy focus on banking in an effort to restore the balance between finance and industry.
The two industries that are primarily leading the charge into a new age of British engineering are the space and renewable energy sectors. Space travel, or more specifically the UK’s involvement in it, may be somewhat surprising. Little focus is given to the industry in the country as there is no particular heritage associated with manned space travel. However, British engineering has contributed hugely to the success of numerous launches over the past years, and, as with many other sectors, the focus has primarily been on research and development. The UK’s contribution to the industry is significantly larger than many people realise and this also has an impact on the manpower available. Many prospective graduates feel that if they study in the area, they will be required to move abroad to fully exploit career opportunities. However, work is being undertaken to alter this perception as the industry continues to thrive.
Aside from space engineering, the UK is also considered a world leader in the field of renewable energy. Numerous offshore rigs are being set up, usually in the form of wind turbines. As with many UK engineering disciplines, huge priority is placed on further research and development, and the renewables sector is well placed to promote such ideologies, both in terms of funding and the availability of suitable candidates. It is of particular appeal for funding purposes as it fits in with the environmental targets of both the government and large sponsors.
Behind much of the growth in UK engineering is the rapid expansion of the economies in China and India. As their own industrial power increases, their demand to fill in the gaps in production also does so. Their space programs are generally run in competition to the UK while conversely these nations are often first in the queue for developments in the renewables sector.
Their growth also underpins related increases in more established areas of engineering. Oil and gas, for example, are an important commodity that neither country can satisfy the demand for without resorting to importing fuels. Again, the UK is key to their strategy, with numerous advancements made by forward thinking companies such as Claxton Engineering giving the UK the best chance of keeping up with international demand, particularly in the face of dwindling local reserves.