BREXIT, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION
ROYAL SOCIETY, LONDON
4 OCTOBER 2018

Hosted by TV Presenter and Author June Sarpong MBE, AFBE-UK presents Brexit, Engineering and Construction.

We will hear the views of leading experts including Dr Hayaatun Sillem, CEO, Royal Academy of Engineering, Alasdair Reisner, CEO of Civil Engineering Contractors Association, Yewande Akinola, Design Engineer/ TV Presenter and Penny Evans, Associate Director, Penningtons Manches. The focus of the seminar is skills supply, diversity and inclusion. We will aim to explore the impact of Brexit on the Engineering and Construction skills sectors.

Engineering and Construction industries are increasingly concerned about the impact of Brexit on the future. These industries contribute at least £280bn gross to UK’s economy, which is 20 percent of the total. A report by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2017, outlined some of these concerns. With the current uncertainty, the sector has raised questions on how the UK will cope with being outside the single market, access to markets, access to foreign investment and issues around compliance /influence on European standards and legislations that affect engineering organisations.

With 12% of the UK’s skilled labour construction workforce made up of EU workers and only 15% of construction professionals favouring UK’s exit there are significant concerns post Brexit. Recent news in the Irish Times revealed that 70% of Irish construction firms have cut exposure to the UK ahead of Brexit and have begun looking for new opportunities elsewhere in mainland Europe.

The focus of the seminar is Skills supply which remains a major concern of the UK engineering and construction sector particularly post Brexit. The aim is not to discuss UK's Brexit vote. This seminar aims to explore the importance of making the most of diverse talent within the engineering sector to fill the skills gap.

Royal Society

London

6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG

info@afbe.org.uk