In discussion - a podcast on skills and training in manufacturing

Leading manufacturing professionals have been sharing their views on the Northwest's skills and training needs during a roundtable discussion...

The panellists included: Miles Lloyd, director of business development and improvement at Kinetic plc; Gareth Humphries, head of HR at missile developer and manufacturer MBDA; and Mike Brown, sector manager for training programmes provider Skills Solutions.

The line-up was completed by: Nicola Eagleton-Crowther, campaign manager for ‘Make It’ which is run by the Manufacturing Institute; Graham Fisher, employer services director at the National Apprenticeship Service; and Lee Harris, director at LHM Consulting which helps SMEs develop business development strategies.

Recorded at the Manufacturing Institute, Manchester
Tuesday 17th August

Discussion points:

How do we address the skills gap in manufacturing?


Does the skills gap affect certain sectors in manufacturing?


Whose responsibility is it to ensure specific skills for manufacturing are taught to young people – business, education or both?


What role do skills, training and CPD play in the image of manufacturing – to make people see manufacturing as a career for life?


When recruiting do manufacturers understand the transferable skills career switchers could bring to their business?


What impact will the recession have on skills and training – short and long term?


What should the coalition government be doing to help manufacturers to maintain their skills, training and CPD programmes at this time?


Listen to the full podcast here

Mike Brown
Sector Manager, Skills Solutions, Engineering & Manufacturing

Following his Engineering Apprenticeship Mike worked for 12 years in Maintenance and Production roles with several multi national companies within the Float Glass Manufacturing and Bottle Manufacturing Industries.
After a career of 19 years as an Engineering Instructor and Regional Manager for the Skills Training Agency and AMT International, Mike joined Manchester TEC/Skills Solutions in July 1999 as Sector Manager for the Manufacturing and Engineering Teams to manage the delivery of NVQ training and assessment.

Nicola Eagleton-Crowther
Make It Campaign Manager, the Manufacturing Institute

Much of Nicola's career has been spent in events and marketing with a particular focus on activities that bring together young people and the world of work. She launched the Make It (www.makeit.org.uk) campaign in 2006 as an umbrella for The Manufacturing Institute's activities with children and teachers. Make It is designed to create a pipeline of future talent for UK manufacturing through events, an interactive website and curriculum materials - all of which are designed to promote a more positive image of the sector and introduce young people to the many rewarding and exciting careers that manufacturing can offer. To date over 20,000 youngsters have participated in hands-on Make It activities.

Graham Fisher
Employer Services Director – Apprenticeships (North West region), National Apprenticeship Service

Graham Fisher was officially appointed to the National Apprenticeship Service in March 2009, prior to that he worked into the project team that established the service. Graham has been in the training sector for the past 30 years and has been involved in Apprenticeships since the mid 1990’s

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has end to end responsibility for Apprenticeships in England. The NAS has been designed to increase the number of Apprenticeship opportunities and provide a dedicated, responsive service for both employers and learners. We are simplifying the process of recruiting an Apprentice through Apprenticeship vacancies, an online web-based matching service.

Apprenticeships bring considerable value to organisations, employers, individuals and the economy. Businesses across the country are now increasingly realising the enormous benefits that Apprenticeships create, not only in terms of a highly skilled workforce but also by boosting productivity and staff retention. Research shows they are an optimal way of training, developing and skilling people for the future, helping businesses secure a supply of people with the skills and qualities they need and which were often not available on the external job market.

NAS knows employers directly benefit from these highly trained apprentices. The overwhelmingly positive results demonstrate how important it is to ensure that NAS maintains and builds this important programme.

Lee Harris
Director, LHM Consulting (Interim Manufacturing Management Specialist)

During his 15 year career in Sales and wider Business Development Lee has gained invaluable experience across many industries; from publishing through to manufacturing and across all sectors; public, private and the third sector.
In May 2007 he set up his own consultancy with the aim of assisting SME’s in developing robust business development strategies to strengthen profits and increase turnover. Since then he has worked predominantly with UK manufacturers, many of which experience acute problems in this area and are desperate to address the downturn, in both enquiries and revenues they have seen since the start of the recession.

Gareth Humphries
Head of HR, MBDA Systems

Gareth is directly accountable for the management of 61 Commercial and Engineering Apprentices who are on four training programmes, based at MBDA's Lostock and Stevenage sites, 50% of which are female. He ensures all apprentices receive the correct training to national standards, qualifications and frameworks and has overseen the training of 20 National Champions in Skills since 1992.
This work has lead to many local, regional and national awards; in 2010 the new national apprenticeship service recognised MBDA as having the best apprenticeship programme in the Northwest and East of England. Gareth also leads the team that was recognised as having the best education links in the UK at the MX awards in June 2010.

Miles Lloyd
Director of Business Development & Improvement, Kinetic Plc

An experienced Director, who’s key strengths are; developing, implementing and realising effective ‘Business Strategy’, improving ‘Corporate Performance’ through instilling learning and improvement cultures and ‘Business Development’ from a holistic and strategic perspective. Miles thrives on making businesses stronger and has a real passion for business excellence and creating positive change environments that enable businesses to achieve breakthrough results. Miles is well versed in using best practice business planning and strategy tools, operational excellence processes and project & process methodologies.
In addition to being a Director of Kinetic plc (providers of outsourced recruitment solutions to the UK Manufacturing & Engineering sectors) for over 6 years, Miles also provides consultancy and hands-on support to a myriad of SME’s through his own business; Io Consulting (UK) Ltd. With experience in Financial Services, IT Process Outsourcing and Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Miles has worked at all levels across the strata of organisations from Executive, Interim and pseudo Non-Executive Directorships, through to Sales & Marketing Management roles, Strategic Sales, Change & Project Management and Operational Management roles.