Government needs open eyes and mind

The recent MHA roundtable event gathered SME manufacturers from across the country to discuss four big themes: bank and grant funding, taxation (financial directors' group), skills and education, and government strategy (managing directors' group). Each of these sessions was chaired by an expert in the particular field and the outcomes were fascinating. However, rather than précising the whole report here, I want to focus on two very important themes. The first was the perceived need to develop the 'Made in Britain' brand – that is, for the government and the sector to work together on an ongoing basis to generate continuing positive PR about manufacturing and engineering in this country. The reason this is so important is that it will help to address some fundamental issues that the sector has struggled with for decades, namely: So few people understand that the UK continues to be a major manufacturer – and, and to put it bluntly, they need to. If we are to see a growth in the sector (the fabled 'rebalancing') we need to attract the brightest and most innovative of our young talent and, frankly, at the moment we are failing to do that. Sadly, portraying manufacturing and engineering as a profession to aspire to will achieve little unless we also tackle the inbuilt bias within the education system from secondary schools upwards against encouraging the brightest children towards what is sometimes sneeringly termed 'the vocational route'. The roundtable event evidenced a fundamental disconnect between what this country needs by way of an engaged and enthusiastic workforce, and what the schools are targeted with producing by way of results. This also needs to change. The full roundtable report has been sent to Dr Cable at the Department for Business in the hope that we can start a meaningful debate which will help advance the cause of SME manufacturers in the UK. To obtain your copy of the report, 'Future Makers: Supporting UK SME Manufacturers', email Email Hannah.Fish@mhllp.co.uk or visit http://mha-uk.co.uk/news