At the Chairman’s Lunch held last week, the PPMA Group of Associations’ Chairman David Barber announced the launch of the Grant Jamieson Engineering Scholarship to the 100 plus attendees.
Grant Jamieson, Managing Director of Winkworth Machinery, was most recently the PPMA Group’s Marketing and Communications Director and stands down after 11 years of loyal service. Grant became Chairman of the PPMA in 2015 which provided a platform for him to speak passionately about the engineering skills shortage. In this time, he has continually voiced concern that the UK manufacturing industry continues to suffer from an ageing workforce, caused by diminished entrants into the engineering sector over the last 25 years. This, in turn, has created a leadership vacuum.
Grant didn’t just highlight the vacuum, he provided pragmatic solutions and pathways to re-address the balance. Giving up his time to make a difference in something that he is truly passionate about.
He provided a wide perspective on potential solutions. There was obvious focus on greater promotion and funding of apprenticeship’s but he also saw academia and wider industry institutions as potential contributors to the solution.
He was a frequent guest speaker within UK universities providing insightful and practical presentations to students on design approaches and guidance factors to consider when choosing their employment path. He encouraged visits to his manufacturing facility for budding engineers to improve their understanding of a manufacturing company and to open their eyes as to how they could apply their education to the engineering workplace.
He attended National Manufacturing Conferences and the likes of the MTC, presenting papers aimed at improving the advice and guidance given to young people in their career choices.
“In recognition of Grant’s service to the PPMA, and in support of his passion to aid re-generation of future engineering talent, it gives me great pleasure to formally announce the launch of the Grant Jamieson Engineering Scholarship in 2022,” said PPMA Chairman David Barber. The PPMA are committed to funding the scholarship and the trustees of PPMA Best will define and execute the scholarship aligned to Grant’s request. The aim is to support people who have a genuine interest in pursuing a career in engineering, demonstrating practical application outside of study. This will most likely see individuals lacking funding from elsewhere being supported; those most likely to benefit and make a difference through funding and also to nurture future talent”.
