Same Old Chestnut!

BVAA recently organised a dinner at the Houses of Parliament, with the express intent of getting a serious conversation going on the British Valve industry.

Hosted by Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, the invitees included a sprinkling of BVAA chairmen of the past and present, some key players from the membership – intentionally including some we don’t see so often – some overseas trade representatives and several non-members, just to give some added spice.

As it happened, our dinner in the Lords turned out to be the same night that the Commons decided - by just one vote - to force the Prime Minister to delay the Brexit process to avoid a no-deal scenario.

While it was calmness and serenity at our end of the House, we observed from the lobby absolute mayhem and carnage at the other!

Never was there a better time therefore, to be at the heart of power in this country and to discuss some serious matters affecting our industry.

We set it up with a very serious question about the need for trade associations, and I dutifully prepared 14 pages of hand-written notes on BVAA’s services, our threats and challenges, informative stats and of course researched the dreaded ‘B’ word – Brexit! – including the very specific challenge we highlighted to our members about the PED and 3.1 material certification should there be a ‘no deal’ outcome (see ‘HotSpots’).

In this crucible of potential topics, I was extremely surprised, indeed eventually delighted, that the main topic of conversation forged was again around that old chestnut that inevitably raises its head in any prolonged discussion on the valve industry – that of the capability and availability of skilled people.

It has many facets: the apprenticeship levy, funding, general education, availability (or not) of the right courses, the right people… the ‘right stuff.’

Overall however, it still remains one of the biggest challenges to us as an industry.

And something the BVAA Chairman and I discussed again over our post-prandial snifter and agreed we must raise up our association’s Agenda.

We started the industrial revolution in this country, and had an apprenticeship system that was the envy of the world, churning out highly skilled engineers, generation after generation.

The old lab where I did my first year of apprenticeship, in a town 10 miles off, is now a ‘dance studio’. The next nearest college running an engineering course is miles away!

A budding ‘engineer of the future’ where I live in rural Oxfordshire would somehow have to get themselves 20~30 miles - via their own transport as we have no trains and very few buses - to college, if indeed he/she could find one running a suitable course.

This is madness. To secure our future we really MUST grow our own and have the wherewithal, infrastructure and funding to do so.

BVAA addressed the development of own Future Leaders, it looks increasingly likely that we will have to lobby strongly to get our own seed corn too.

rob@bvaa.org.uk


Published: 30th May 2019

BVAA Strengthens Board with New Members

Rachel Wormald, Managing Director at YPS Valves Ltd and Elizabeth Waterman, ...

Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Read full article

BVAA Valve & Actuator Training News

Are you looking for industry-leading, brand independent valve and actuator ...

Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Read full article

Comment by BVAA CEO Rob Bartlett

As can be seen from the photograph, clearly the resident birds at Bartlett ...

Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Read full article

Howco Group Invests £1 Million in Vertical CNC Turning Centres

Howco Group has unveiled its latest £1million investment, with the ...

Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Read full article

Allvalves: Fuelling Growth Through Customer Connectivity

In 2024, Allvalves is poised for an exciting year of growth and expansion, ...

Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Read full article

GMM Pfaudler - Introducing the Normag Brand to the BVAA Community

GMM Pfaudler Engineered Plastics & Gaskets are delighted to bring the ...

Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Read full article

Building Industry Connections: A GMM Pfaudler Success Story

In the ever-evolving valve industry, GMM Pfaudler stands out for its ...

Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Read full article

SAMSON Controls Participates in the UK CCUS and Hydrogen Decarbonisation Summit

SAMSON Controls Ltd – part of the SAMSON group - a renowned leader in ...

Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Read full article