Members of the UK’s first Shipbuilding Skills Taskforce Announced

Members of the UK’s first Shipbuilding Skills Taskforce have been announced and we are delighted with the volume of members involved.

The Taskforce was announced in March 2022, as part of the cross-government National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSbS), to develop a world-leading skills strategy that will boost training and job opportunities in the shipbuilding industry particularly those related to new and emerging technologies and zero-emissions shipping.

The SMI members of the Taskforce are:

• Linton Roberts, Chief Technology Officer, Cammell Laird Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders Ltd and A&P Group Ltd.
• Matthew Guy, Human Resources Director, Thales UK
• Nick Mansell, Chief Executive Officer, Intermarine UK
• Patrick Carnie, Strategy Director, Marine and Engineering Systems, Babcock International Group
• Paul Feely, Academy and Engineering Director, BAE Systems Naval
• Richard Westgarth, Industry Engagement, BMT MarRI-UK, as well as Adjunct Professor at the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute.
• Tahsin Tezdogan, University Reader in Naval Architecture, University of Strathclyde

The first meeting of the Taskforce is expected to take place in June, and members will soon begin working with the wider industry to explore skills needs and shortages.

Rear Admiral, Rex Cox, Chief Executive of the National Shipbuilding Office, said:

I am delighted that Paul Little has been appointed as Chair of the new UK Shipbuilding Skills Taskforce. As Principal and Chief Executive of the City of Glasgow College and with a rich maritime background, Paul is the ideal fit for the role. I am confident that Paul’s appointment together with Taskforce membership drawn from right across the UK, and reflecting the true breadth of our Shipbuilding Enterprise, will bring real focus to skills and training.

The Taskforce will be critical in over-seeing our efforts to ensure that our industry is able to access workers with the right training and skills which is fundamental to our ambition to drive growth and transformation to achieve a globally successful, innovative and sustainable Shipbuilding Enterprise for the UK.

The mailing list remains open for anybody who would like to receive email updates or be part of our consultation group to help to shape the work of the Taskforce.

See full details about the taskforce here.