A lifelong passion for motorcycles sparked a journey that would eventually lead Shaun Rowley to become Managing Director of ANT Industries, one of the UK’s specialist aerospace engineering manufacturers. Now, as demand for engineering talent continues to grow, he is encouraging more young people to discover the opportunities available within the sector. For many engineers, the fascination starts long before the first day at work. For Rowley, it began with motorcycles.
Like countless young enthusiasts, he was captivated by the mechanics behind performance, reliability and precision. What started as an interest in bikes quickly evolved into a deeper curiosity about how things worked, how components were made and how engineering could transform raw materials into highly sophisticated machines. Decades later, that same fascination remains.
Today, Rowley leads ANT Industries, a precision engineering business supplying complex components into the global aerospace and gas turbine sectors, but he believes the fundamental appeal of engineering has never changed.
“Engineering has given me a fantastic career and countless opportunities,” he said.
“It all started with a love of motorcycles and wanting to understand how things worked. Once you begin to appreciate the skill, creativity and problem-solving involved in engineering, it becomes incredibly rewarding. I look back to what I learned and then I look ahead to long term visibility for both civil and military aircraft and can’t help but get excited for the young engineers in our business and the future that awaits them. Whether its T Levels, apprenticeships, graduates or young people coming into learn a skill and build a future for themselves, its so important and we take our responsibility in the matter very seriously – they are the future of our sector.”
His comments come at a time when manufacturers across the UK are seeking to attract the next generation of engineers, programmers, machinists and manufacturing specialists. The challenge is particularly acute within aerospace, where growing aircraft production rates, expanding maintenance and repair operations, and increasing defence spending are creating significant long-term demand for highly skilled talent. For Rowley, however, one of the biggest obstacles is awareness.
“I don’t think enough young people realise what modern engineering actually looks like,” he explained.
“Many still picture dirty factories and repetitive jobs, but the reality couldn’t be more different. Today’s manufacturing environments are clean, highly advanced and full of cutting-edge technology. We’re programming sophisticated multi-axis machines, working with digital systems and producing components that help power aircraft around the world.”
At ANT Industries, investment in advanced machining technology has transformed the capabilities available on the shop floor, allowing the company to manufacture increasingly complex aerospace components to micron-level tolerances.
Yet despite the technological advances, Rowley believes the most important ingredient remains people.
“The machines are incredible, but they still need talented people behind them,” he said.
“We need individuals who enjoy solving problems, who are curious, who want to learn and who take pride in creating something tangiblen- engineers like Jess Pickard that have taken first steps down that path. Engineering gives you the opportunity to do that every single day.”
The global aerospace sector currently presents one of the strongest long-term opportunities for young engineers entering the profession. Aircraft manufacturers are managing record order backlogs, while the rapidly expanding maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market is creating demand for engineering expertise across the entire aviation supply chain. For businesses such as ANT Industries, this translates into growing opportunities for future generations.
“We’re seeing unprecedented demand across aerospace,” said Rowley.
“Aircraft will need building, engines will need maintaining and supply chains will need skilled manufacturers for decades to come. For young people looking for a career with genuine long-term prospects, aerospace engineering offers something very special.”
He is particularly passionate about encouraging school leavers and young adults to explore vocational routes alongside traditional academic pathways.
“Not every successful career starts with university,” he said.
“Apprenticeships and practical engineering pathways can open doors to incredible careers. You can earn while you learn, develop valuable skills and work on projects that have a global impact.”
Reflecting on his own journey, Rowley believes engineering continues to offer something increasingly rare in the modern world: the satisfaction of seeing a finished product emerge from skill, knowledge and teamwork.
“There is a tremendous sense of achievement when you see a component you’ve helped manufacture become part of an aero engine or a critical engineering system,” he said.
“Engineering gives you the chance to create something real. That’s a feeling that never gets old.”
As the UK manufacturing sector seeks to inspire the next generation, Rowley’s message is straightforward.
“If you’re young and wondering what career to pursue, come and see what modern engineering looks like. Visit a manufacturing facility, talk to engineers and ask questions. You might be surprised by what you discover.”
He added: “My love of motorcycles eventually led me into a lifetime in engineering. For today’s young people, that first spark of interest could come from anything. The important thing is to follow that curiosity because engineering can take you further than you ever imagined.”
With global aerospace experiencing sustained growth and manufacturers investing heavily in future capability, the sector is increasingly looking to inspire a new generation of talent capable of building the technologies that will define the decades ahead.