John Parkes joins Enginuity as Head of Charity

We’re pleased to announce that John Parkes joins us this week as Enginuity’s Head of Charity.

As the charity dedicated to finding new ways to close skills gaps in UK engineering and manufacturing, it is vital that we successfully deliver our strategy against meaningful impact measures.

John will be working closely with our Senior Leadership Team to ensure that this is the case.

Like everyone at Enginuity, John can see the potential data on engineering and manufacturing occupations and skills has to close skills gaps; if it is easy to access, search, and compare.  

With 20 years executive and board level experience, gained predominately within the social impact field, leading a variety of commercial and operational functions, he brings a range of skills that will benefit Enginuity’s mission.

Our unique approach to sector data, alongside our deep understanding of the skills needs of UK engineering and manufacturing employers, allows us to create new tools so businesses, sectors and governments can be smarter in sourcing skills, and planning ahead.

John has with an impressive track record of developing and scaling innovative and impactful solutions. As Executive Director of Get My First Job from 2009 to 2013 he led the development, launch and growth of a financially sustainable social enterprise with 1 million website users and a £3 million annual turnover, responsible for placing around 30,000 young people into careers every year.

His experience in delivering digital, technical and change-led projects across public, private and third sectors organisations will be invaluable in Enginuity’s own continued transformation; to become the go-to organisation and source of information for anyone looking to help employers have the right skills at the right time to adapt faster to change.

As both a Director and a Senior Consultant he has shown an ability to engage and maintain strong relationships with a variety of external stakeholders in the education and engineering space.

Many of the skills challenges employers face are shared across engineering and manufacturing sectors. As a Sector Connector, Enginuity brings sectors together through initiatives like the National Manufacturing Skills Taskforce. By collaborating more closely, we will enable UK businesses to embrace advanced manufacturing and the net zero transition: creating a more productive sector at the forefront of designing, making and maintaining the solutions to society’s greatest challenges.

John is passionate about the full impact Enginuity can have in closing skills gaps, providing UK engineers with the opportunity to change the world.

We all look forward to working with him.