Sensor manufacturer to support campaign to attract youngsters into manufacturing

Recently expanded with funding from the North West Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Regional Development Fund, Make It in Manufacturing was set up to attract the brightest and best new talents into manufacturing, promoting manufacturing as an exciting and rewarding career for young people. The campaign, which was launched by The Manufacturing Institute in 2006, is trying to shake off the myths and negative perceptions that surround the manufacturing sector and to demonstrate to the outside world, particularly tomorrow's workforce and potential investors, just how much modern industry has to offer. As a result of the recent support from NWDA and ERDF, the campaign is growing to include extra planned events and activities for youngsters across the North West region, alongside a series of radio adverts featuring positive role models from the sector. A number of high profile manufacturing companies are already lending their support to the campaign, including BAE Systems, ENER-G, Jaguar Land Rover, Urenco, Aircelle, Siemens, Robert Wiseman Dairies and the Northwest Aerospace Alliance. Now, German-owned Micro-Epsilon has also pledged its support to the campaign. Managing director Chris Jones is one of the role models featured in the radio advertisements on Radio City, Merseyside and says he is in no doubt about the importance of the campaign to the region and how young people are fundamental in helping UK manufacturing climb out of the economic recession. He commented: "The UK is suffering from a lack of youngsters wanting to move into manufacturing after leaving school or college. In the past, manufacturing firms have been poor in communicating to young people exactly what manufacturing as a career is all about and the opportunities it can offer." "There are now great opportunities for young people going into manufacturing in the UK. Not all manufacturing is going overseas to lower labour cost countries. In fact a lot is now coming back to these shores. The UK still has many world leading companies that thrive on innovation and knowledge. What we need to do is bring together educational establishments, local media, training providers and employers, in order to work more closely through joined up thinking and communication." Head of the Make It in Manufacturing campaign Nicola Eagleton-Crowther agreed: "If you ask a teenager what they want from their ideal job, their wish list often includes decent pay, being creative, meeting people and traveling, early responsibility and promotion opportunities. Typically, these are all features of a manufacturing career, yet there's still this huge disconnect between the reality of working in manufacturing and the image that people have of the sector." "The recession has demonstrated just how crucial manufacturing and engineering are to our economy and it is therefore essential that we attract the brightest young people to all types of jobs, from production and engineering through to HR, advertising and purchasing." For more information on the Make It in Manufacturing campaign, visit www.makeit.org.uk or telephone Nicola Eagleton-Crowther on 0161 875 2515.