JobsAndCareersWithSarahWillingham2016 - 133

BE A
MAKER

FOCUS :
MANUFACTURING

FOOD, FRIDGES, CARS, ELECTRONICS - EVEN
PACKAGING. WE ALL TAKE THESE ITEMS FOR GRANTED.
WHY NOT JOIN THE PEOPLE MANUFACTURING THEM?

L

ook around you.
Chances are, you're
surrounded by
things that have
been made by
machines or
chemical
processing. From the clothes you're
wearing, the phone in your pocket
and even the box your latest online
delivery arrived in. So many things
we use and take for granted every day
come under the manufacturing banner.
Manufacturing covers a multitude
of industries so there are no shortage of
career options. Although many are in
engineering and technology, others are
in supporting areas like finance, sales,
marketing, purchasing, HR, supply
chain management and customer services.

Manufacturing is open to all
There are openings to explore whatever
your background and qualifications,
from apprenticeships right up to
postgraduate degree level. And whether
you work for a small scale manufacturer
or want to make products for a global
market as part of a huge international
company, you'll get job satisfaction being
able to see the results of your work.

The future's bright
Manufacturing is making a comeback
after the recession so now is a good time
to join the industry. According to a
report by the International Festival for
Business 2016 and Oxford Economics,
the productivity of British manufacturers
is predicted to rise by 15.5% over the next
five years, which will help boost the value
of UK exports by a whopping 35%.

Rail manufacturing
'A s the pioneer of railway
development, the UK is at
the forefront of building
even bigger and better
rail systems, as well as
managing and
enhancing a
long-established
network,' says the
government department
UK Trade & Investment.
The UK has a proud history
of building locomotives and it's
great news that some large projects have
been brought back to the UK.
There have recently been new facilities
purpose-built to enable the manufacture
of train rolling stock and components,
which will serve the UK as well as the

wider European market. So now's a
very good time to get into this area
of manufacturing - particularly if
you're interested in improving the
country's rail system.

Automotive manufacturing
'British cars are being made with
more British sourced components as the
UK automotive industry's renaissance
continues apace,' said the Department for
Innovation, Business and Skills
in 2015. From car parts and
systems, vehicle and
engine production and
the wider supply chain,
it's thought around
160,000 people are
currently employed in
this area - with some
experts predicting the
figure will rise to nearly
200,000 by the 2020s.
Within a manufacturing
facility there are also other
opportunities including sales, marketing,
finance, HR, and purchasing.
For more information, The Society of
Motor Manufacturers and
Traders has a factsheet and
more at www.smmt.co.uk.

Manufacturing
covers a multitude of
industries so there
are no shortage of
career options

J O B S & C A R E E R S /// 1 3 3
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