Cameron Pinder, apprentice engineer at Kirkstall Precision Engineer, joined Amanda McLaren, managing director of AW Hainsworth, as a keynote speaker at the sell-out launch event for this year’s Leeds Manufacturing Festival.
Amanda described the ‘generational shift’ has taken place since 2021 when she joined the firm, where 29% of the workforce now aged 35 or under, and the measures that have been implemented across the business to drive that change.
Gold medallist at WorldSkillsUK, Cameron talked about what winning involved, what it has meant for him and his employer, and what comes next as he prepares for the European round of WorldSkills in Denmark before, hopefully, moving on to the world finals in Shanghai.
He is one of a group of younger employees who are playing an increasingly important role in the Leeds Manufacturing Festival as employers bid to attract the next generation into the sector
“By taking part in recruitment fairs, careers panels in schools and talking to students about what it’s like to work in modern-day manufacturing, they are connecting with younger people and opening their eyes to the opportunities manufacturing presents,” said Faron Convey, project manager with Ahead Partnership.
Faron organised the Manufacturing Careers Showcase, which followed on from the festival launch. It brought together employers from across the sector to meet and talk to students from UTC Leeds and students studying engineering, business, digital technology from Leeds City College.
Panelists (LtoR): Callum Haywood, Luke Holmes, Steph Plazi, Maya McGowan Wood and Freya Wissett with host Faron Convey
Fourteen employers, including larger manufacturing employers in the city such as Sulzer and Schneider Electric, took part in the careers showcase, alongside DS Smith, Mpac Group, Invicta Forks & Attachments and Nufarm.
They joined festival sponsors Leeds Welding Company, MPM, Greyhound Box, Facultatieve Technologies, MA Ford Europe, Enginuity and E3 Recruitment in bringing jobs in manufacturing to life and highlighting the opportunities they present.
Closing out the day, a group of younger employees joined a panel discussion hosted by Faron to take questions from students and share their own experience of working in the sector.
Maya McGowan Wood is just starting her career as an apprentice Supply Chain Planner with Schneider Electric. Based in Leeds, she is also studying at Aston University and said the thing she enjoys most is the variety of her role.
“As part of the upstream team, I enjoy working in a diverse community and excelling in communication with suppliers and across different departments. I am leading both the apprentice social committee and the STEM Ambassadors in Leeds, promoting careers in logistics, engineering and manufacturing.”
Luke Holmes, now a process improvement manager with bed and mattress manufacturer Harrison Spinks, completed a four-year apprenticeship as a manufacturing operative. He also gained a qualification through a secondary apprenticeship in mentoring.
“Through these two courses I obtained the relevant knowledge of my industry to be promoted in process improvement where I know work on site projects to implement new innovations, productivity improvement and new processes to increase efficiencies.
“I’ve been with Harrison Spinks seven years and have become a key member of the business, all thanks to the apprenticeship schemes I was fortunate enough to complete and the hard work I have put in along the way.”
Faron Convey said their experiences illustrated the wide range of roles and opportunities available in manufacturing. “But apprenticeships aren’t the only route into the sector,” he added, pointing to the example of Freya Whitsett, an undergraduate studying International Business at Leeds Beckett University.
Currently on a placement year as a project coordinator with engineering firm Sulzer, Freya has been able to project manage her own orders - reaching a total value of over £1million - as well as travel to Italy for a supplier visit at Forge Fedriga and to Sulzer Aberdeen to discuss live projects. She has also supported the Sulzer careers team in Leeds and Birmingham.
Callum Haywood, talent acquisition recruiter at packaging automation company Mpac Group, was also part of the panel at the careers showcase and plays a key role in bringing ‘next gen’ talent into the business.
“As a talent acquisition recruiter at Mpac Group, I’m responsible for sourcing and attracting top talent to drive Mpac's growth, working closely with hiring managers and ensuring a seamless recruitment process.”
Marketing manager Stephanie Plazzi from E3 Recruitment also joined the panel at the careers showcase. Stephanie shared insights into the manufacturing industry such as salaries, key tips, and highlighted the long-term career opportunities available within manufacturing.
“Specialising in engineering and manufacturing recruitment, at E3R we have a wealth of knowledge on the sectors we support so being able to share this insight with young people is incredibly important to us as a business.
"It’s great to see how far the Leeds Manufacturing Festival has come over the last few years, the launch and the careers showcase just seems to get bigger and better every year, and we’re seeing more and more students taking part each year.
"It’s impressive to hear the questions they have, a real testament to the tutoring and guidance they are receiving from Leeds City College and UTC Leeds. We’re looking forward to sharing our knowledge on the rest of the panels in this year’s festival.”
