TECHNOLOGY minister Ian Taylor marked the start of Britain鈥檚 Science Week by saying that it was 鈥渘ever too early to master the appliance of science鈥�. But in the same week, Matsushita, the world鈥檚 largest manufacturer of consumer electronics, dropped its traditional Japanese politeness and publicly warned that shortcomings in British education would deter overseas companies from investing in Britain.
Matsushita鈥檚 main subsidiary, Panasonic, employs 2000 people in Wales making television sets and microwave ovens. Panasonic trains apprentices for engineering jobs which must otherwise be filled by Japanese employees from the company鈥檚 factories in Osaka. Last year, when Panasonic advertised for apprentices, it found only three of the 200 applicants were up to standard.
Other Japanese companies are facing the same difficulties, says Panasonic, and the flow of investment from overseas companies 鈥渃ould slow to a trickle unless significant steps are taken to improve technical and engineering skills training鈥�. David Fowler, Panasonic鈥檚 director for personnel, told a seminar of technology teachers that 鈥渇ar too many university graduates are opting for degrees in the arts and humanities鈥�.
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Panasonic is also anxious to change the status of engineers in industry. In most countries, an engineer is respected as a skilled technician. But in Britain engineers are regarded as second-class necessities, he said. 鈥淐ompanies like ours have to dig very deeply indeed to find people with relevant skills for further training,鈥� said Fowler.