Manufacturers across the UK opened their doors to local communities for Make UK's inaugural National Manufacturing Day on Thursday 7 July , providing an insight into the amazing careers, technologies and skills the manufacturing sector boasts.
In addition to our National Manufacturing Day podcast special, The Manufacturer caught up with a variety of manufacturing firms to find out how they marked the event (click to expand):
Poole-based Lush Manufacturing celebrated National Manufacturing Day by opening its doors to local schools, businesses and job seekers. Participants were able to see inside some of the production rooms, meet the people behind the handmade products and get hands on creating fresh products.
Jason Muller, Global Manufacturing Director, Lush said: “It’s so important to be able to show the career opportunities for children and adults in the local communities. These are definitely challenging times but also exciting times for manufacturing. We have some world-renowned businesses located here in Poole and working with Make UK and BCP authority allows us to connect and discuss opportunities for the region. The National Manufacturing Day is an exciting way to show who we are, what we do and introduce the fantastic teams we have making all our fresh handmade products. We really hope to inspire the next generation to join Lush here in Poole. ”
Visitors to Lush’s facility certainly found the event worthwhile, commenting:
Images courtesy of Lush Manufacturing
Zytronic showcased potential careers and jobs on offer and organised ‘through the keyhole’ tours of its business. Part of the Blaydon on Tyne community for well over 20 years, Zytronic manufactures projected capacitive technology touchscreens and other sophisticated glass products Visitors were able to talk directly to members of staff about how Zytronic’s patented and award-winning touchscreen products are manufactured and what employment opportunities are available in the business.
Mark Cambridge, CEO of Zytronic said: “We are always on the lookout for new talent to help us to produce our touchscreen products and latest innovations such as ElectroglaZ®, our latest transparent power delivery technology. Our company can offer a diverse range of career opportunities from production operatives to electronic engineering.”
Images courtesy of Zytronic
Rugby-based Lisi Aerospace welcomed visitors last Thursday, including local MP Mark Pawsey. The firm, which specialises in aerospace fasteners and structural components, also played host to 29 students and teaching staff from two local schools: Avon Valley School and Performing Arts College and Harris C of E School, Rugby.
Visitors were treated to a range of activities, including a factory tour a robotics training room demonstration delivered by the company’s maintenance apprentice.
Images courtesy of Lisi Aerospace
When the Assistant Head Teacher at Lewis Girls School wanted to bring a group of schoolgirls to RML’s Wales and West factory for National Manufacturing Day, Branch Manager Julian Caudle, Head of Timber Frame James Stanbridge and Director of QESH Matt Davies decided that the tour should be as interactive as possible.
The students, all dressed in appropriate PPE, were given a tour of RML’s facility, starting in the firm’s show home area, where all the benefits of Timber Frame construction were demonstrated. Moving on, the truss press had been carefully set with timber squares so that the girls could all have a go on the machinery for themselves. Next, the group moved on to the yard before coming back inside to one of the benches, where sample materials were ready to allow the group to all have a go using the nailers and staplers. The last practical part of the tour was watching a demonstration of RML’s large scale industrial saws.
Commenting, James Stanbridge said: “We’ve never done a site tour for a group of schoolchildren before and their interest in what we do at RML, as well as how we do it, was really rather inspiring. I hope we have given the girls an interesting day and opened eyes to some of the opportunities that lie in manufacturing within construction.”
Images courtesy of RML
Plymouth metal fabrication company Alderman Tooling opening its doors to the whole community for National Manufacturing Day. Aldermans, based at Newnham, treated visitors to a series of events including a factory tour, a Augmented Reality Welding kit, and a build your own miniature metal aeroplane. There was also the opportunity to talk directly to members of staff about careers in engineering and the daily life of an engineering apprentice.
Image courtesy of Aldermans
School children and members of the local community had the chance to see behind the scenes at Stainless Metalcraft and the new North Cambridgeshire Training Centre, when they opened their respective doors to celebrate National Manufacturing Day.
Pupils from Glebelands and Kingsfield primary schools were given a factory tour before taking part in a series of engineering challenges, led by Metalcraft’s apprentices, while students from Cromwell and Neale Wade secondary schools experienced a behind-the-scenes look at life at Metalcraft before concluding their tours at the NCTC where they could find out more about training opportunities available.
The day’s actives also included a special, girls-only engineering activity for year five children from both primary schools – building towers using spaghetti and marshmallows as part of moves to encourage more girls to consider careers in the industry. Both sites remained open into the early evening, allowing employees’ families and members of the local community to visit and find out more about the range of work and training opportunities launching in September.
Martin Lawrence, Commercial Director at Stainless Metalcraft, said: “We we’re excited to open our doors and give the local community a sneak peak inside the NCTC as part of the MAKE UK’s National Manufacturing Day. As an employer with a strong commitment to growing our own talent, we’re proud of our strong community links and keen to inspire the next generation of talent to forge rewarding, long-term careers in the industry.”
Ean Daniel, Head of Engineering, Automotive and IT at WSC, added: “National Manufacturing Day is a wonderful initiative showcasing the wide range of careers available in manufacturing, from technical to commercial and management roles supporting industries as diverse as aerospace and automotive engineering to energy, medtech and food & drink.
“The open day gave us a fantastic opportunity to share more of our plans for the NCTC with the local community, raising awareness of the range of career and apprenticeship opportunities opening up on their doorstep, as well as giving us chance to engage with local residents and businesses to ensure our offer evolves to meet changing needs.”
Images courtesy of Stainless Metalcraft
Bolton-based Booth Industries celebrated National Manufacturing Day by welcoming Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Jonathan Reynolds MP.
The world-renowned provider of multi-protection doorsets opened its doors to give the local community a behind the scenes look at the facility and to showcase the range of highly-skilled jobs on offer in the industry.
Following a tour of Booth’s facilities and a demonstration of its activities, Jonathan Reynolds Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “Manufacturing is a vibrant, growth sector and on Make UK’s first National Manufacturing Day, I am delighted to experience first-hand the opportunities that are available, as well as speaking to some of the apprentices at Booth Industries – a company that has been a part of the local community for generations.”
Mike Jenkinson, managing director at Booth Industries said: “We are delighted to participate in the first National Manufacturing Day. It’s such a great way to showcase the wonderful opportunities in manufacturing to the wider community, including local schools, and is a chance to inspire students and promote the industry as a potential career path.”
Images courtesy of Booth Industries
Benwell-based steel parts manufacturer Spincraft welcomed Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle Central, on National Manufacturing Day.
Chi met the engineers and workers on the site, who produce components for crucial, high tech machinery such as MRI machines and NASA space craft.
Chi said: “ I was delighted to visit Spincraft, and hear about their plans to grow their crucial, specialist manufacturing business. It was thrilling to learn that components of rockets that go to Jupiter and beyond are being made by the Tyne in Benwell.
“Newcastle has a proud manufacturing history, and today it has above the UK average level for manufacturing as a percentage of its economic output – above the 15% target Make UK has set for the country. And, I want to see more good, well paid manufacturing jobs in Newcastle and Tyneside.”
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