Award-winning West Midlands manufacturer Uhuru Botanicals has partnered with Aston University Engineering Academy (AUEA) to provide T Level students with hands-on experience in formulation and manufacturing, as part of efforts to help address the region’s manufacturing skills shortage.
The collaboration will see the Wolverhampton-based cosmetics manufacturer deliver formulation and manufacturing sessions to chemistry students, while engineering students will undertake industry placements within the business.
Students will gain practical experience across product development, manufacturing operations, quality systems and the day-to-day running of a growing manufacturing SME, providing valuable insight into careers in the sector.
The initiative aims to strengthen links between education and industry by equipping young people with the technical skills, commercial awareness and workplace experience needed to progress into manufacturing careers.
Founded in 2017, Uhuru Botanicals began as a kitchen-table business after CEO Neo Chatyoka developed plant-based skincare products to help treat her daughter’s eczema. Since then, the company has grown from producing products in a garage to operating its own manufacturing facility in Wolverhampton, supplying natural skincare products across the UK while also establishing the Uhuru Formulation Academy to train aspiring cosmetic formulators and manufacturers.
The company has become an advocate for widening participation in manufacturing, particularly among women and underrepresented groups, with Neo also lecturing on formulation and product development at several UK universities.
The latest partnership reflects a growing focus across UK manufacturing on developing stronger pathways between education and industry as employers seek to tackle persistent skills shortages.
We’re delighted to partner with Aston University Engineering Academy to support T Level students as they prepare for careers in manufacturing.
Students won’t just learn about formulation and manufacturing—they’ll experience the realities of working in a growing manufacturing business. By investing in young people today, we’re helping build the skilled workforce that manufacturing needs tomorrow.
Neo Chatyoka, CEO and Founder of Uhuru Botanicals
The partnership comes as manufacturers across the UK continue to highlight recruitment and skills as one of the sector’s biggest long-term challenges, with employers increasingly collaborating with schools, colleges and universities to develop the next generation of engineers, technicians and manufacturing professionals.
Through initiatives such as the AUEA partnership, Uhuru Botanicals hopes to inspire more young people to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing while giving them practical experience that will help bridge the gap between education and employment.
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