Digitalisation – bite-sized insights from the CEA Manifesto
With the General Election scheduled just two weeks from today (4 July), it is paramount that the CEA continues to be the industry’s voice to the UK Government.
The CEA Policy Group, established in Spring 2024, prepared this Manifesto to outline our clear and transparent approach to tackling the challenges facing the construction equipment sector and the wider construction, engineering, manufacturing, and education sectors.
Digitalisation is key to improving sustainability, efficiency, and safety, and the CEA views digitalization as a positive benefit for the wider construction industry. CEA members are making huge developments in this area every day.
However, the UK is in danger of falling behind our global peers. For many years, the perception of the construction and engineering industries has been one of ‘low paid and dirty work,’ yet we know this is far from the truth. Coupled with confusion over the UK skills agenda, attracting younger people into engineering and manufacturing roles has proven difficult. This has led to an aging workforce often lacking the relevant skills for digitalisation.
The CEA views this as an opportunity to attract top talent into the sector and upskill existing workforces.
Similarly, the rise of digitalisation in the sector faces challenges over synchronisation of legislation. Harmonisation of standards and consistent implementation across borders is key to remaining competitive.
Our asks
- Support to maintain and promote the UK as a centre of excellence for technology, sustain high-value engineering jobs, develop apprenticeships, and increase productivity.
- Funding for new technologies that aid the development of digital solutions for the sector.
- Harmonise UK digital legislation and cyber security in line with the EU Data Act, EU Cyber Resilience Act, and EU AI Act.
- Tackle the digital skills gap with a co-ordinated approach to attracting and developing talent in the construction equipment manufacturing sector.