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Monday 1st June 2026
Amid growing discussion around industrial strategy, automation and productivity, two new reports suggest UK manufacturers are facing a more immediate challenge: finding people with the right skills to support future growth. Recent reports from engineering and manufacturing skills charity Enginuity and manufacturing network Made in Group offer a snapshot of how SMEs across the sector are navigating a difficult landscape. While both reports reveal businesses that are ambitious and increasingly optimistic, they also highlight a long-running disconnect between employers’ workforce needs and the talent pipeline available to them.
Wednesday 7th May 2025
Amanda McLaren, Managing Director of AW Hainsworth describes the 'generational shift' that has taken place in recent years at the Leeds textile firm, the result of a strategy designed to give young people a future in manufacturing that's meaningful, innovative, and full of opportunity.
Monday 5th May 2025
Employers, training providers and engineering students came together at UTC Leeds in April to learn how T levels and industry placements, which are a key part of the two-year qualification, can create a pathway for apprenticeship recruitment and how employers can adopt best practice to ensure apprentices successfully complete their training. They also heard from a panel of apprentices, who described their experience and what attracted them to careers in manufacturing and engineering.
Saturday 29th March 2025
Manufacturing and engineering employers are unable to reliably attract the skills they need to fill many positions, and this is limiting economic growth and prosperity. That’s why it’s vital to appeal to a broader pool of talent to make manufacturing and engineering more inclusive, argues Poppy Bramford, senior policy manager at national skills charity Enginuity.
Tuesday 19th March 2024
Employers in Leeds are starting to see first-hand the benefits of the new engineering and manufacturing two-year T level qualification that is designed to equip students with the right skills and attitude for a career in the industry.
Friday 7th July 2023
Greater engagement between schools, colleges and local employers is at the heart of the Leeds Manufacturing Festival and its aim of promoting the opportunities that careers in the sector present for future generations...
Tuesday 13th June 2023
Government figures show that almost half of all apprentices drop out of their course, and 70% of those report problems with the quality of training they receive, with a poor ‘in company’ experience the main factor in leaving their apprenticeship...