adi Group,  is working in partnership with Handsworth Wood Girls Academy and The Design and Technology Association to up skill teachers and encourage girls into the engineering sector.

adi Group has partnered with the Skills Gap Programme, managed by the Design & Technology Association, to help bring teachers up-to-speed with the technical and soft skills required by businesses. The programme is designed to link teachers and industry experts together, by using a structured training, coaching and assessment programme to develop curriculum and business requirements.

Emma Cromarty, HR Manager at adi Group, comments: “For many years, our industry has been talking about a potential skills shortage and the need to attract more girls into the engineering industry. This threat is now real, with statistics from EngineeringUK highlighting demand for 69,000 advanced apprentices and level 3 vocationally qualified people to fill engineering roles by 2020.

“This is why we are working with Skills Gap as adi are proud to be championing young girls to this sector and about the world of engineering as a possible career option.”

1A recent study conducted by the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation found that last year only 4,228 girls applied to read engineering at university, compared to 28,020 boys, clearly demonstrating that engineering still suffers from an image problem.

Cheryl Phillips, Skills Gap Programme director at the Design and Technology association comments: “There is so much scope for businesses to share their skills & knowledge with education. There are multiple applications of the D&T curriculum within industry and in this partnership. As a result, the school will benefit from developing new Computer Aided Design Skills and insights into the career and education pathways of engineers. We are very proud to be working with both Handsworth Wood Girls Academy and adi.”

The programme is due to run until November 2014 and will comprise a live project for the girls school to deliver alongside teachers. For further information about adi Group please visit: www.adiltd.co.uk.