The Manufacturer and KTN have teamed up for National Apprenticeship Week 2021 to bring you some inspiring profiles of young people making manufacturing in the UK smarter.
There are many routes into manufacturing and many different jobs available, it is not just about engineering and production. There are multiple roles in this rewarding industry, if I take a look at my own journey for example, I started off as the PR manager for the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA).
MTA members design, manufacture and supply the advanced machinery, equipment and intellectual property that enable the creation of the products we rely on from day to day and that drive our economy. It was a fascinating position which set me up perfectly for the job I do now as Deputy Editor of The Manufacturer.
When my friends would ask me to what I did for a work, I would try to explain how the companies we represented at the MTA shaped the world around us and I helped tell their stories. From technological innovation, design, marketing, sales and most importantly for me, the people driving this change.
I always enjoyed telling stories and meeting inspiring people, especially people taking their first steps in their career in manufacturing. Like Leigh Worsdale who became the first female apprentice to win the Apprentice of the Year’ award supported by Boeing at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). Hearing her passion and drive to succeed in the industry was very inspiring.
Or the School of Engineering at my old University in Wolverhampton, who have F3 Racing Team, the only University in the country, if not Europe to have a professional racing team. Over 90% of their graduates are employed within a 25 mile radius of the University within six months of graduating. Which is a real boost to the region and hundreds of firms like JLR and Moog who need skilled engineers.
Speaking and seeing first-hand companies like Renishaw, Yamazaki Mazak and Siemens who value the contribution that apprentices have given their companies. Investing in building the next generation of their workforces from young talent.
National Apprenticeship Week is a good time to remind ourselves of the importance of vocational training. Apprenticeships are a great route into a career in manufacturing and should be celebrated, but we must always remember there are many different routes into the industry and many different roles for people to play in this vital sector.
I am proud I can continue to tell the story of UK manufacturing and the people who drive the county forward through innovation.
The Manufacturer and our partners at KTN have worked hard to find young people to share their stories with our readers. So here are ten more inspiring journeys of young people who are forging their careers within the UK manufacturing landscape.
Read part one , part two and part three here.
Mark Chester – MMU PrintCity
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
The continuous development of innovative software and hardware within manufacturing excites me. Accessible new technologies such as Additive Manufacturing and Generative Design provides interesting opportunities for SME’s to radically transform.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
I started by studying a degree in Product Design at York St John University. Throughout university, I gained experience by obtaining a part time job at a Timber Playground Manufacturer. This opportunity provided an insight into taking a design from concept through to customer delivery.
After university, I taught Fusion 360 CAD software to Education and Companies as an Autodesk Certified Instructor. During this time, I realised the need to further develop my own skill set. In 2018, I studied the MSc Industrial Digitalisation course at MMU PrintCity, the first of its kind in the UK.
Upon completing my Masters, I started consulting businesses in Additive Manufacturing as Innovation Development Manager at the GC Business Growth Hub. This led into my current role as Product Development Specialist at PrintCity Network, within which 150 SME’s in the Greater Manchester area are to receive support in utilising the latest in digital manufacturing.
Harry Dodge – Far-UK ltd.
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
Technological innovation empowers us to make a positive difference in humanity’s challenges in leading a sustainable future.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
I was born on the island of Jersey, surrounded by the sea and distant horizons. I fell in love with sailing in my youth as it gave me a sense of freedom and connection with nature.
Lightweight, innovative technology enables us to better harness and work in harmony with nature. This is exemplified by events such as the America’s Cup, which intrigue me. My curiosity led to a degree in engineering (Marine and Composites Technology).
My career has brought me into ambitious transport engineering projects that can reduce emissions and costs, whilst promoting recycling and a move towards a circular manufacturing economy. Our team won a JEC innovation award in 2020, and I have become a STEM ambassador.
Our future lies in embracing technology through research, data collation and finding creative solutions. I hope my work contributes to these challenges and enables transport for all, while reducing environmental impact.
Shu Yang – Consult Lift Services Ltd
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
As I have business background, I have been working with manufacturing companies over the past five years. For me, manufacturing is one of the real and physical businesses that create employment and physical value to society.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
I have been working for manufacturing companies in marketing and business development roles. In my working experience, I found the traditional manufacturer has limited connection to the end-user. However, digital marketing methods provide very promisingly potential for manufacturers to expand. Opportunities like in E-commerce website, B2B precise targeted online promotion, digital branding, digital customer portal etc could be game-changing for comparing from traditional offline selling. Moreover, there are opportunities for combining SMART control and product data management to enhance the variety of methods of producing.
I am also looking to carry out research on smart inventory control in manufacturing and evaluate how it affects the company to operate, financial performance, customer service and the overall growth.
Sam Maxwell – The University of Sheffield / Siemens
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
At the heart of Manufacturing is the pursuit of continuously improving real world items. Through that improvement and quality, Manufacturing can have a massive impact on people’s lives.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
I first discovered my passion for making things during secondary school electronics classes. Throughout these classes I made a variety of projects including a Robotic Arm and PDA. At present I am studying an MEng Electronic Engineering degree at The University of Sheffield. I am a representative for the University student led makerspace (the IForge) where I help run the 3D Printing team. During the years 2/3 of University I was a member of the Sheffield Engineering Leadership Academy where I was heavily involved in delivering an exhibit aimed at inspiring school children to consider a career in engineering. I was part of the winning team in the first Sir William Siemens Challenge, securing a placement that additionally led to a graduate job at Siemens Congleton. I am also an RAEng ELS member. I aspire to form a startup in the Digital Manufacturing space to improve factory energy efficiency.
Jordan Byrom – Yuken Europe
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
Having the chance to shape the future. The innovative methods and materials we use when developing products are more important than ever. Young Engineers have a responsibility to the future.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
After leaving University with a degree in Industrial/Product Design, I was lucky enough to join a fantastic Engineering team at an industry leading hydraulics company. Since then, I’ve designed full industry leading turnkey projects, I’ve led teams of engineers, and I’ve started to innovate and design products within sustainability as a priority.
I see my future as an industry leader, pushing a traditional engineering sector, hydraulics, towards a sustainable future. Hydraulics is a sector which works with an incredible variety of different industries, from renewable power generation, to food processing, to transport. By increasing efficiency and making our own sector more sustainable, we can in turn make each sector we work with greener. Not only do I see my future pushing sustainable change within my work, I would love to work with institutions and companies who promote and offer STEM learning opportunities.
Dian-Jen Lin – Post Carbon Lab
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
Sustainable and innovative practices in the manufacturing sector are crucial to the future of the industry and the planet.
As manufacturing processes contributes to a major portion of the collective footprint of humanity, I am keen to explore more socially and environmentally inclusive manufacturing practices.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
At Post Carbon Lab, we offer microbial dyeing & coating services for textile-based SMEs as one of the most sustainable colouration options for textile products. By working with microbes that embed the evolutionary wisdom of natural pathways to produce things we need, we only have to provide a growth-friendly environment for nature to work its wonders. This way, we can manufacture the necessary substances without a heavy dependence on the land, chemicals or carbon-intense power inputs. As they gain biomass, carbon is captured as a food source to provide climate positivity input for the entire process.
We believe that the future lies in co-working with nature and innovate within biological realms and principles to collaborate with nature — biomanufacturing. We will have a foreseeable future only if we work within the planetary boundaries and find creative ways to form sustainable material cycles,
Philip Rochester – INVIZITRACK
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
There’s nothing more pleasing than being able to visualise an idea, take it through the development cycle from research, concept development and iterating on it during prototyping through to production.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
Currently, Philip is on the journey towards developing INVIZITRACK the tiny satellite tracker inspired by NASA to truly locate our most valuable possessions using the most advanced technology and engineering. The concept was formed by Philips’ inability to keep track of his expensive camera gear, so it was a lightbulb moment in being able to create a product from scratch, therefore, giving Philip full control of the product development including technology to implement without having to rely on another company to provide a product which could be considered, to be lacking in features to fulfil the mission of a truly global tracker.
George Johnson – Produmax Ltd
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
Striving to take the world into the next generation of technologies and improve the efficiency of manufacturing. Developing processes to ensure quality and productivity are at the forefront of industry.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
Manufacturing and improving processes is my passion! As an Apprentice, my views were listened to and I was given the opportunity to develop myself. One challenge was to decrease measurement time using Optical Measurement. Previously the installation of the system had saved 17%. Being a digital native I was able to use the equipment more intuitively and reduced lead time from 90 minutes to 90 seconds, making significant savings.
This example helped pave the way for following apprentices to be given larger frameworks in which to work. I have used my experience to share best practice with others, help engage more SMEs with digitisation and to inspire our future pipeline of apprentices. In the future I want to inspire others, lead teams that push boundaries and have the opportunity to constantly challenge myself. I like to represent my northern roots, my company and my passion
I would relish this opportunity.
Simon Matcham – 3M
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
The opportunity to make a tangible difference to people’s lives by leveraging cutting edge innovative technologies to manufacture products via more sustainable methods.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
I graduated from Newcastle University with a master’s degree in chemical engineering before further developing my research thesis on hydrogel drug delivery which was subsequently published in a peer reviewed polymer journal.
I then accepted a position on 3M’s Optimised Operations graduate scheme as a graduate manufacturing technology engineer and spent my first placement within their drug delivery systems division with technical responsibility for multiple manufacturing and packaging operations across 3M’s inhaled drug delivery and barrier film portfolios.
My second placement saw me relocate to 3M’s personal safety division and take on responsibility for a manufacturing production area comprising of multiple unit operations across 3M’s reusable respirator portfolio.
I then progressed into an advanced manufacturing technology engineer role where I continue to improve 3M’s respirator manufacturing processes throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
I see my future as continuing to improve the efficiency of manufacturing operations through the deployment of disruptive technology.
Yazan Khader – PredicTech-University of Sheffield
What excites you most about a career in manufacturing?
I am passionate about finding new approaches using AI to make manufacturing smarter for all. I am most excited about creating technology that can make production more accessible and affordable.
How did you start your journey and where you see your future?
I have recently graduated with BEng in Mechanical Engineering from Sheffield University. During my time at university, I have developed interest in application of digital technologies in context of manufacturing. I have written my dissertation on “Industry 4.0- First Steps for SMEs” whereby was tasked with addressing issues implementing industry 4.0 technologies in manufacturing sector in Sheffield area focusing on Predictive maintenance.
I have analysed main barriers for entry for SMEs Sheffield into digital technologies through conducting a survey and looking at MadeSmarter review, leading onto proposing and designing an affordable and sustainable engineering intervention that tackles those barriers. I was recently sponsored by University of Sheffield for a business start-up visa for my efforts in this field to offer predictive analytics solutions at an affordable price using vision-based systems to monitor critical parameters within an industrial plant in real time which are then communicated via a software that uses machine learning algorithms to anticipate future faults. I gathered a team to help me in this venture supported by academics within faculty of engineering as well as entrepreneurs in residence to help me scale up my business. I am looking for help to build my proposed intervention to create my final product which is crucial in launching my business.
All images supplied by participants.