Skills & Training Special Focus August/September 2025 www.pwemag.co.uk Plant & Works Engineering | 35 cybersecurity, integrating Internet of Things (IoT) devices, or interpreting predictive analytics reports can be tackled one at a time, without overwhelming the learner or interrupting operations. Providers in the UK have started to align these modules with recognised qualifications, so staff gain formal credit as well as immediate practical benefit. Apprenticeships, too, are evolving. The most effective schemes no longer separate mechanical and electrical disciplines from digital skills; instead they integrate them from the outset. An apprentice might spend one day fitting bearings and another configuring a sensor network. Over the course of their training, they learn not only how to repair a failed motor, but how to spot the data patterns that indicate it’s on the way to failing. This combination makes them more versatile and better able to support the organisation’s maintenance strategy in the long term. One of the overlooked aspects of Maintenance 4.0 training is the role of experienced staff as mentors. Many seasoned technicians have deep practical insight but less exposure to the newest digital tools. Rather than treating them solely as learners, programmes that pair them with younger, more digitally fluent colleagues create a two-way exchange. The veteran passes on an instinct for mechanical behaviour, while the newer recruit shares ways to navigate software, interpret dashboards, and avoid false alarms. This peer-to-peer element anchors new technologies in the organisation’s accumulated experience. Coherent training strategy For UK employers, combining these elements into a coherent training strategy takes planning. It means mapping out the skills the business will need in the next five years, not just filling today’s gaps. It means deciding where to invest in physical training assets - whether in-house learning lines or partnerships with colleges - and where digital delivery can carry the load. It also involves working with training providers who understand both the sector’s technical demands and its operational pressures. There is also a cultural shift to manage. Moving from reactive to predictive maintenance changes how success is measured. Technicians used to being valued for rapid repairs may need to adapt to being valued for preventing the need for repairs at all. Training can help with that by showing the tangible results of proactive work in production stability, safety records, and even energy efficiency. In some organisations, sharing maintenance data with the wider workforce has built appreciation for the role, and encouraged operators to report early warning signs rather than waiting for a fault to develop. The future shape of Maintenance 4.0 training in the UK will not be one-size-fits-all. A small manufacturing firm in the North East will have different priorities from a water utility or a rail operator. Yet the core principles remain constant: train in environments that mirror the real world, use digital tools to expand what can be practised safely, keep learning modular and accessible, integrate digital literacy into every level of training, and make full use of the expertise already in the workforce. If that approach is taken seriously, the next generation of maintenance teams will be equipped not just to keep the machinery running, but to anticipate problems, optimise performance, and adapt as technology continues to evolve. In an economy where efficiency, safety and reliability are at a premium, that capability will be as valuable as the technology itself. IF YOU’RE READING THIS, THEN SO ARE 30,000+ ENGINEERS IMAGINE THE IMPACT YOUR ADVERTISEMENT COULD HAVE Contact Damien Oxlee at PWE Tel: 01732 370340
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