Recently, Enspec engineers attended the IET Manchester Network Dinner 2026. The event theme was “Engineering a Better Future”.
One of the most interesting parts of the evening was the focus on Primary Engineer, an organisation looking at how and when children first come in contact with engineering. They have a simple and straightforward approach to engage children at a young age: introduce it early, make it practical, and give it some shape long before it becomes a career decision.
For engineering, a sector where skills shortages are a continual concern, early engagement carries weight. In areas like power systems engineering, expertise builds over time and tends to come via experience as much as formal training. When a talent pipeline is limited, it can take significant time and investment to correct. Enspec CEO Mara Rastall discussed this issue recently on the PoweredUp podcast.
The evening also included an address from Jane Brophy, Mayor of Trafford, whose recognition of the vital role engineers play in society was both encouraging and motivating.
Conversations throughout the evening returned to a familiar question facing the profession, how can we ensure engineering remains both relevant and resilient in the years to come? Events such as this serve as a useful reminder that progress rarely comes from isolated efforts, but from shared insight across disciplines and generations.
