Manufacturing Biz #6 - Magazine - Page 30
“Manufacturing today is
creative, innovative and
technological, but that isn’t
always how it is presented
to young people.”
perception and skills shortages emerged as
recurring concerns.
“I think to attract and retain more women,
employers need to work more closely with
teenage girls in schools,” said Amanda
Johnston, Associate Director of Innovation
at Sheffield Hallam University and a board
member of Made Smarter Yorkshire. “From
around the age of 10 onwards there can be
a strong perception that STEM subjects are
for boys. Changing that narrative earlier
could make a real difference.”
Brown believes careers guidance still has
work to do.
“Manufacturing is often positioned as a
secondary option to academic routes, yet
many people thrive in hands-on, practical
environments.”
Richardson argues perception remains one
of the biggest barriers.
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“Manufacturing is often presented as oldfashioned or undesirable, when in reality it
is creative, technical and highly skilled. To
attract and retain more women we need to
show the full spectrum of roles available.”
Conor agrees clearer messaging is
needed.
“Manufacturing today is creative,
innovative and technological, but that
isn’t always how it is presented to young
people. It’s not just production lines, it is
research and development, sustainability,
artificial intelligence integration, digital
optimisation and export growth.”
Trust Electric Heating is addressing this
through its work with Garforth Academy,
offering mentoring, careers talks, work
placements and T Level engagement to
give students a clearer view of modern
M A N U FA C T U R I N G B I Z M A G A Z I N E A P R I L 2 0 2 6
manufacturing careers.
Olivia Hullah, Commercial and Marketing
Manager at Trust Electric Heating,
regularly supports these activities, which
have also strengthened her confidence as a
leader.
“Younger professionals speaking to
students is powerful,” she said. “Pupils
relate more easily to someone closer to
their own age, which helps the pathway feel
realistic and achievable.”
Digital transformation as an accelerator
These experiences reflect wider
trends emerging across the region’s
manufacturing base.
Jessica Armitage, Programme Manager for
Made Smarter Yorkshire, said the insights
mirror patterns the programme is seeing
across its work with manufacturers.
“Over the past few years we’ve worked
with hundreds of manufacturers across
Yorkshire, and we’re seeing more women
stepping into technical, leadership and
innovation roles as businesses adopt digital
technologies,” she said.
“We’re seeing strong representation from
women on both our Leadership and
Digital Champions programmes, which
are helping drive cultural change inside
businesses.
“And initiatives like the Digital Internship
programme are opening doors for the next
generation. We’ve seen real impact from
young women stepping into manufacturing
environments and applying digital,
data and technology skills in real-world
settings, showing just how creative,
innovative and technology-driven modern
manufacturing has become.”
madesmarter.uk/Yorkshire
