MARCH 2019 MAKE UK CONFERENCE
to know what the impact of
Brexit will be. Manufacturing
must be at the forefront of
change, and Brexit must work
for the good of the industry.
The deal we have on the table
isn’t necessarily perfect, but I
believe that it meets the needs
of manufacturers.”
If the Business Secretary
could be said to be having a
difficult day, with the closure
of one of the UK’s most
productive factories, it was
nothing compared to the
headache faced by the next
speaker, Jeremy Corbyn.
Unsurprisingly, he spent most
of his time fending off questions
about the defectors from the
Labour Party, although he
did get the opportunity to
weigh in on manufacturing
and – unsurprisingly – Brexit.
“Manufacturing is the beating
heart of the economy,” he said.
“To thrive, though, it needs the
right environment. The current
government’s failure to invest in
the sector has left it unprepared
to change with the times.”
Dame Katherine Grainger
(right), chair of UK Sport, gave
an insight into the similarities
between business and sport
Corbyn used his speech to announce a new
policy to help plug the skills gap. Called the
Commission for Lifelong Learning, it will provide
people the opportunity to learn new skills, for free,
through the course of their life. “We want to give
people the skills to flourish,” Corbyn said. “We
want to change perceptions of vocational learning,
and encourage employers to invest in their people.
This new scheme will help with that.”
On Brexit, Corbyn again blamed the
government for a lack of progress. “We need a
stable trading environment, which comes from
being part of a permanent customs union,” he
said. “Investment and business confidence are
falling because of Theresa May’s approach to
Brexit. SMEs will struggle most if we continue
down this path.”
The overarching theme of the conference was
one of defiance – the sector is facing a number of
challenges, not least Brexit, over the coming years,
but it is better-placed than many to ride them out
and come out shining at the other end.
Attracting the
future generations
As part of the Make UK
Conference, delegates attended
workshops, focusing on
everything from international
trade deals to cloud computing.
Amy Best was on hand in a session
all about the skills shortage
One of the many workshops at this
year’s conference was titled
#GenerationZ – How to Attract the
Future Generation of Creators. It
was aimed at addressing the
problem of the skills gap in the
industry. In groups of ten, each
including a young representative
from companies including MBDA
Missile Systems, Aston University
and Lander Automotive, delegates
were asked to create a pitch on
how to attract the next generation
into manufacturing, with the
young representatives there to
help and tell delegates what
worked and what didn’t.
Team members shared ideas,
had discussions, and talked about
what they feel should be presented
to break the stereotypes of
manufacturing. One idea that was
seen in each group was how
creative manufacturing can
actually be, and the sense of pride
manufacturers can feel when
making something with their own
hands. Another was the freedom
felt when you have an active job
and less micro-managing –
something not typically seen
in a standard office job.
The conclusion was that every
company must do something,
whether that’s starting at the
grassroots level and visiting
schools, or creating a desirable
apprenticeship programme. Peter
Tack, MD of Lander Automotive,
who hosted the workshop, put it
eloquently: “If it means having four
X-Boxes in the canteen, then we’ll
have four X-Boxes in the canteen. I
can’t tell you how much I support
this generation.”
Make UK chief,
Stephen Phipson,
called for an end
to the ‘Brexit
pantomime’
www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk 25
/www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk