Steph on Skills powered by Enginuity

Enginuity
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Careers
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to the podcast that dives into the fascinating world of skills, innovation, and the future of engineering and manufacturing.   Hosted by broadcaster and qualified engineer, Steph McGovern, each episode brings insightful conversations with industry leaders, game-changers, and those shaping the skills landscape.   Get in touch with the pod team at sospod@enginuity.org to share your ideas, comments or let us know your feedback.   Powered by Enginuity – the charity focused on closing the skills gap in engineering and manufacturing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. May 27

    Apprenticeships Beyond Engineering

    Steph chats with Kathryn Marshall, Senior Apprenticeship and T Level Manager at Lloyds Banking Group, to challenge the misconception that apprenticeships are mainly for engineering and manufacturing.  With Lloyds Banking Group employing over 1,300 apprentices across more than 30 disciplines, Kathryn explains the breadth of roles on offer such as audit, digital, data, software engineering and cybersecurity. Kathryn dispels the myth that you need maths qualifications to work in banking, revealing the only role where A-level Maths is a requirement, and sharing which skills matter more than subjects studied. Steph and Kathryn also discuss the way AI is impacting jobs, as Kathryn outlines how Lloyds’ AI Academy is helping its 60,000 colleagues and the ways their youth outreach is aligning with their purpose of ‘helping Britain prosper’.   00:00 Apprenticeships Beyond Engineering 01:24 Routes into Banking Careers 02:29 Actuarial and Audit Explained 06:28 School Outreach and Awareness 07:20 Digital and Tech Apprenticeships 10:00 Who Thrives as an Apprentice 11:01 Networking and Squiggly Careers 14:01 Standing Out in Applications 20:13 Family Journeys and No False Starts 23:31 AI Academy and Future Skills 25:31 Purpose and Community Outreach 27:13 Key Takeaways and Goodbye Get in touch with us at sospod@enginuity.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

  2. May 13

    Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves; Building Culture in a Family-Run Business

    Steph meets Laura McBrown, Managing Director of G&B, an electronic manufacturing service provider, who has been running the family business with her sister, Kate, for the past 11 years.  Laura explains how she got into the industry entirely by accident but loved the creativity and diverse range of roles so much that it inspired her to study electrical engineering. She shares the story behind her father founding the company during the recession of the later 1980s and how the business has grown since that time, now serving the defence, aerospace, medical, and other highly regulated sectors.  Laura discusses how she and her sister are shaping the culture of the business, why team morale matters and how they approach recruitment in the face of a sector wide skills shortage.  00:00 Welcome 00:28 Family Business Origins 01:24 Industry Shift to Manufacturing 04:06 Learning on the Job 08:02 Proving Leadership and Culture 09:51 Business Today and Growth Goals 10:57 Skills Pipeline Challenge 12:20 National Manufacturing Day Tours 15:08 Making Outreach Work for Business 17:39 Building Confidence and Upskilling Get in touch with us at sospod@enginuity.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min

  3. Apr 29

    From Mining to Manufacturing. How Cornwall is Thriving in the Skills Sector

    In this episode, Steph is finding out about the thriving engineering and manufacturing sector in Cornwall.   First up, she meets Eric Nicholls, Chair of the Cornwall Manufacturing Group, whose members employ about 4,000 people with a combined turnover of roughly £600m.    He explains how the area’s mining heritage provided roots for what is now a diverse offering of manufactured products and services, and how a close working relationship with local colleges has significantly transformed the skills.   At Watson Marlow, Head of Manufacturing Engineering Neil Bury describes how his own career path took him from starting as an apprentice to his current role in senior leadership, which included restarting as an apprentice as part of strategic leadership qualification.     Matt Newman is another employee with Watson Marlow, who has recently embarked on a Project Management secondment. Matt outlines how a two-year engineering course when he was younger, swayed his career decision and lead to an apprenticeship in machining. He also tells Steph why he has been keen to continue learning as his career progressed and how that led to being named Management Apprentice of the Year 2024.   00:00 Welcome to Cornwall 00:20 Cornwall Manufacturing Snapshot 01:45 Heritage and Skills Shift 03:19 Collaboration with Local Colleges 04:30 Why Manufacturing Matters 05:34 Inside Watson Marlow 06:21 Neil’s Apprentice Journey 08:07 Leadership Apprenticeships Today 12:53 Work Life in Cornwall 16:41 Matt’s Apprenticeship Path 19:44 Awards and Next Steps 22:25 Apprenticeships Advice 23:42 Final Thanks Get in touch with us at sospod@enginuity.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min

  4. Apr 15

    Preview of the Enginuity Skills Awards

    With the Enginuity Skills Awards coming up on the 1st July, Steph sits down with the Event Lead, Ben Hope, to find out what goes into planning this highly prestigious evening which celebrates careers and talent across the engineering and manufacturing sector.  Now in its 12th year and with a record number of nominations, Ben tells us about the range of talents and categories which are showcased and why attending the Awards offers an opportunity to network with industry thinkers, leaders and new talent, as well as celebrate successes.  Steph also meets this year’s host, Swarzy Shire (BBC Sounds, Radio 1/1Xtra/Radio 4) who talks about her own journey into radio and TV and why she’s excited about the Awards night.  Tickets for the Enginuity Skills Awards are available online. 00:00 Welcome  01:12 Award Categories and Nominations 02:52 The Importance of Sharing Finalists Stories 06:34 Behind the Scenes Behind the Scenes 07:38 Networking Tips and Confidence 10:35 Judging Process and Tickets 13:14 Meet Swarzy 13:44 Swarzy’s Radio Journey  18:27 Preshow Rituals  Get in touch with the podcast at sospod@enginuity.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min

  5. Mar 31

    Making Engineering and Apprenticeships Accessible: Skills, Stigma, and Culture Change

    Recorded at the Make UK Conference at the QEII Centre in London, Steph is joined by Robert Halfon, the former MP, Skills Minister and Education Select Committee chair, who is currently Executive Director for Policy Membership and External Affairs at Make UK, and Marisa Kurimbokusto, a Chartered Engineer who was awarded ‘Young Woman Engineer of the Year’ in 2024. Robert's extensive work on skills and apprenticeships has transformed opportunities across the UK. As Skills and Apprenticeships Minister, he changed careers advice to ensure apprenticeships were promoted in schools, launched the Skills for Life campaign and supported the development of UCAS for Apprenticeships to give apprenticeships equal status with university applications. Marisa graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Master’s degree in Aeronautical and Aerothermal Engineering and her career in product design and systems engineering within the automotive and power electronics industries has seen her land roles with Jaguar Land Rover, Triumph Motorcycles, Lyra Electronics and Aeristech. She’s currently Head of Engineering for the custom battery manufacturer Raeon.  Together, Steph, Robert and Marisa discuss how to improve access to apprentices, the need to reduce red tape and increase funding, and tackling gendered stereotypes and stigma around vocational routes.   00:00 Introduction to guests 00:35 Marisa’s Engineering Journey 01:38 Robert’s Skills Mission 08:19 Gender Stereotypes in Schools 10:09 Why ‘Making’ Matters 11:46 Facing Bias and Inclusion 12:30 Women in Engineering Gains 13:02 Apprenticeships Boom 13:48 School Outreach Reality 14:39 Fixing Careers Guidance 18:53 Apprenticeships and Mobility 22:59 Removing Stigma  26:56 Thanks and goodbye    Get in touch with us at sospod@enginuity.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min

  6. Mar 18

    Fixing the UK Manufacturing Skills Gap: At Make UK’s National Manufacturing Conference

    Recorded at Make UK’s National Manufacturing Conference at the QEII Centre in London, Steph welcomes Make UK CEO Stephen Phipson and Enginuity CEO and Make UK Board Member, Ann Watson, on to the podcast to discuss the UK manufacturing skills crisis and solutions.     Stephen has spent 35 years as a leading industrial figure and has worked directly for government in a number of appointments. He tells us about Make UK’s rich history and role supporting manufacturers with services, including training and running one of the UK’s largest apprentice training centres.    He also shares his own story of being an apprentice and the prestige it held.    With the sector facing around 50,000 vocational vacancies and a sharp fall in engineering apprentice starts - from about 130,000 pre-2016 to 45,000 last year after the Apprenticeship Levy - Steph asks Stephen and Ann what needs to happen to ensure a future pipeline of workers in manufacturing and whether the Government is doing enough to support the industry.    Together they discuss the challenges of an ageing workforce, SME funding and cost pressures, confusion from frequent policy changes, the need to fix Further Education provision, and improve access to levy funds.   Stephen also offers his own opinion on the role of AI and why we should remain optimistic that it will be beneficial for the sector.   00:00 Live from Make UK at the QEII Centre 00:36 Meet Make UK 01:35 Stephen’s Own Apprenticeship Story 04:10 Manufacturing Snapshot 08:28 SME Barriers And Costs 11:08 Government Solutions Push 14:29 The Need for Design & Technology in Schools 18:22 The Urgency for Joined Up Policy 20:49 AI Impact on Manufacturing 22:37 Final Thanks   Get in touch with us at sospod@enginuity.org   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min

  7. Mar 4

    Steph McGovern under the Spotlight

    Steph is at Teeside University to welcome sport broadcaster and Deputy Lieutenant of Northumberland, Jeff Brown, where he takes the opportunity to turn the tables and quiz Steph on her love of all things engineering and how proud she is to have an Enginuity scholarship for women in engineering in her name.    The pair reminisce about the first time they met, which happened to be at Wimbledon, and bond over their shared North East upbringing and work ethic.    Jeff asks how Steph balances being a broadcaster, writer, novelist, podcaster, and mum; as Steph explains the reasons behind her drive to keep busy.    Steph describes how her attendance at a city technology college sponsored by British American Tobacco, exposed her to technology, science, strong funding, practical projects with local businesses, and broader career possibilities and why that played such an important role in the opportunities which came next.   She also recounts early rejection from BBC Cleveland after being told she ‘wasn’t the right type for the BBC’, and details how she eventually started working in broadcasting through persistence and behind-the-scenes roles, before a BBC Breakfast Editor changed the trajectory of her career by challenging internal attitudes about regional accents and putting Steph in front of the camera.   The conversation returns to Steph’s work with Enginuity as she explains why she’s eager to support women in engineering and improve social mobility particularly in her home region.    00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:31 First Meeting at Wimbledon 02:41 Work Ethic and Roots 04:20 School That Sparked Engineering 06:20 Careers Advice and Finding Your Thing 08:12 Money and Women in Engineering 09:00 Breaking into Broadcasting 11:14 Accent Bias and BBC Breakthrough 15:10 Creating Opportunities Through Scholarships 16:57 Writing Crime Novels and Never Slowing Down 18:49 Final thoughts   Get in touch with us at sospod@enginuity.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min

  8. Feb 18

    Life as a Chemical Engineering Student – Meet Jorja Karmen

    In this episode, Steph is back at Teesside University to meet Jorja Karmen, a bright, young Chemical Engineering student and beneficiary of an Enginuity scholarship.    Jorja tells us about her less conventional route into chemical engineering, including how attending a nuclear and radiochemistry summer school in Leeds introduced her to the topic and how she juggled taking an extra course to meet entry requirements while working, post A-levels, as an assistant restaurant manager.    Jorja discusses the impact of being diagnosed with Asperger’s late in Year 11, and how it’s helped her own understanding of the way she processes and thinks, and the benefits that has brought.    Now in second year, Jorja shares why she started the Process Engineering Society at Teesside University, the need for more early representation to encourage girls into engineering and her own career goals.    She tells us why funding support through Enginuity has helped her focus on her studies by reducing financial burden and lowering her stress and outlines her next steps including her hopes for her upcoming placement year.   00:00 Meet Jorja: Chemical Engineering student at Teeside University  01:01 The Summer School That Sparked a New Path  01:58 Finding a Route In: Access Course, Working Life & Learning From ‘Wrong Turns’ 02:59 Mental Health & Late Autism Diagnosis: Understanding Yourself 05:05 Big Influences: Mum’s Entrepreneurial Drive & Resilience 05:58 Starting Uni Without the ‘Right’ A-Levels: Imposter Syndrome, Being One of Few Women 07:14 Thriving in Year 2: Launching the Process Engineering Society 08:29 Placements and Career Goals  11:15 Why She Loves Engineering: Challenge, Passion, and Hyper-Focus 11:36 Women in Engineering: Representation, Stereotypes, and Starting Young 12:59 Career Switch & Confidence: ‘Academic Enough’ vs Real-World Skills 15:17 Life Beyond Uni 17:33 Funding & Support: How Scholarships Reduce Stress and Keep You Focused 18:58 What’s Next: Placement, Grad Role Goals Get in touch with us at sospod@enginuity.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min
See All (34)

Trailer

About

Welcome to the podcast that dives into the fascinating world of skills, innovation, and the future of engineering and manufacturing.   Hosted by broadcaster and qualified engineer, Steph McGovern, each episode brings insightful conversations with industry leaders, game-changers, and those shaping the skills landscape.   Get in touch with the pod team at sospod@enginuity.org to share your ideas, comments or let us know your feedback.   Powered by Enginuity – the charity focused on closing the skills gap in engineering and manufacturing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

You Might Also Like