Employers and skills champions meet today to announce plans to tackle huge shortage of skilled technicians in the UK.

An 18 month employers review today reveals an alarming gap between the number of technicians in the UK and the 450,000 skilled roles that will need to be filled if the economy is to recover and continue to compete internationally.

The technicians, skilled to a professional level, are needed to fill roles in engineering, science, medicine and many other technical occupations by 2020 but there are currently just 1,500 people sufficiently qualified to take those jobs.

The review was undertaken by the Technician Council, a government funded body tasked with making recommendations on the future of technicians.

Steve Holliday, CEO of National Grid plc and Chairman of the Technician Council will launch a new formal Commitment to professional technicians in London today, supported by Oliver Letwin MP, Minister for Government Policy advice, and John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning.

The new Commitment is backed by UK employers, professional bodies and sector skills councils. They hope that the enhanced recognition, rewards and lifelong learning opportunities will encourage more young people to embark on a career in technical skills.

The Technical Council’s recommendations are aimed at providing clear, structured career paths for technicians. They strengthen the infrastructure underpinning the registration and professional development of technicians, provide active support and increase the pool, status, transferability and diversity of professional technicians across all sectors of industry.