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The Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies

The Metals, Electrical Equipment and Mechanical Equipment (MME) Sector Skills Agreement

The Sector Skills Agreement for the Metals, Mechanical and Electrical Equipment (MME) sectors was completed in Summer 2008.

The Sector Skills Agreement and action plans can be downloaded below:

Stage 5 Report and Action Plans for the UK

Sector Skills Agreement Key Findings

The SSA process resulted in the following findings.  Further information can be obtained from the draft versions of the published documents below.

  • 94% of sites employ fewer than 50 people.  They account for nearly half of all MME jobs and form the supply chain of many larger companies in non MME sectors.
  • The demographic profile of the MME sector does not follow that of the economy as a whole: the average MME worker is white, male, aged 42 and works full time.
  • Nearly a fifth of MME sites have hard-to-fill vacancies: 13,000 vacancies in total.
  • 90% of hard-to-fill vacancies are at operator, craft, technician and professional levels.
  • Hard-to-fill vacancies in the MME sector are costing the UK £570 milion in lost GVA.
  • 20% of MME sites have skills gaps in the current workforce, ranging from 18% of micro sites to 43% of large sites.
  • 70% of those with skills gaps have technical engineering skills gaps, notably in professional engineering, technician, craft and operator occupations.
  • Many companies - SMEs in particular - do not have a business or training plan and are unable to articulate future skills needs.
  • Only 22% of all UK MME sites employ apprentices or recognised trainees: 59% of large sites, 40% of medium sized sites, 27% of small sites, 7% of micro sites.

Employer Skills Prioritites

The Sector Skills Agreement process revealed the following employer skills priorities:

  • Leadership and Management
  • Process Improvement (Productivity and Competitiveness)
  • Technical Skills
  • Apprenticeships

Sector Skills Agreement Highlights - Spring 2008

This brochure features key employers who are leading the way within their sector networks.  Find out from them how investing in skills can improve productivity and performance.   Read how trade associations and employer bodies are backing the Sector Skills Agreement and how they are working with us towards achieving our key aims of:

  • Optimising employer and public investment in skills.
  • Securing public funding for priorities identified in the SSA.

Download a PDF from the link below:

Metals, Mechanical and Electrical Highlights - Spring 2008

Benchmarking Tool

To help companies see how they measure up when it comes to training their workforce, the MME Sector Strategy Group has developed Semta’s Six-Stage Model. 

The model is an easy-to-use benchmarking tool.  You can use it to show where your company sits on a scale of training excellence and find out how you can move up the workforce development best practice ladder.

Click HERE to download Semta’s Six-Stage Model.

To get the most out of using the model please send an email to 6stagemodel@semta.org.uk.  We will contact you to discuss how we can help you to develop your employees and your business so you can boost your performance.  

UK Reports:

Stage 1 Skill Needs Analysis

Executive Summary

Full UK Stage 1 Report

Stage 2 Assessment of Current Provision

Executive Summary

UK stage 2 Report Part 1

UK stage 2 Report Part 2

Stage 3 Gap Analysis

Full UK stage 3 Report and draft action plan

Scotland Reports:

The Scotland Stages 1, 2 and 3 executive summaries, full documents and draft action plan are available for download by clicking this link:

Scotland SSA documents.

Wales Reports:

The Wales Stages 1, 2 and 3 executive summaries, full documents and draft action plan are available for download by clicking this link:

Wales SSA documents.

Northern Ireland Reports:

The Northern Ireland Stages 1, 2 and 3 executive summaries, full documents and draft action plan are available for download by clicking this link:

Northern Ireland documents.

England Reports:

The England Stages 1, 2 and 3 executive summaries, full documents and draft action plan are available for download by clicking this link:

England documents.

England Regional Reports:

The England regional Stages 1 and 2 full documents are available for download by clicking these links:

North West

North East

Yorkshire & The Humber

West Midlands

East Midlands

South West

South East

London

East of England

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Part of the Skills for Business network of 25 employer-led Sector Skills Councils