September 18, 2018 4.41 pm This story is over 66 months old

Call for investment to prepare young people for “disruptive” workplace tech

A senior councillor has said the government is not prepared for the future world of work

A senior county councillor said more investment is needed to retain and prepare Lincolnshire’s young people for a “different” world of work.

Councillor Colin Davie, executive member for economy, said that the region needs to be prepared for the “disruption” that new technology will cause to the workplace.

He told members of Lincolnshire County Council’s Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee that the county needs to keep its young people and will only be able to do that through investment.

It comes as the Greater Lincolnshire Enterprise Partnership is currently working on a local industrial strategy for the region which will focus on skills and business growth.

It will include looking at investing in technology and training, such as the recently announced engineering and manufacturing college in Boston which will be part funded by the LEP.

Boston College’s new Engineering, Manufacturing and Training (EMAT) Centre.

But, Councillor Davie said that the government is “not prepared” for what the world of work will look like in years to come.

“We have to prepare our young people for a world of work that is going to be incredibly different in the years ahead,” he said.

“Technology is changing everything and I don’t think the government understands the speed of that change.

“It is going to accelerate over the next few years and we have less young people coming into the world of work.

Councillor Colin Davie addressing Lincolnshire County Council’s full council meeting.

“We need to retain our young people, therefore we need to train them in the jobs of the future.”

He added that he wants to see planning for the skills of the workforce done locally by working with employers.

The Greater Lincolnshire LEP is leading on an industrial strategy which Councillor Davie said would be unveiled soon.

It will look at how business growth and skills can be made in the county from both local and national funding.

It comes as part of a wider industrial strategy by the government which was published in November 2017.

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