Despite spiralling raw material and energy costs, the UK manufacturing sector remains committed to upskilling its workers as almost half (45%) of manufacturers intend to invest in training over coming months.  

The majority of manufacturers (62%) claim they’re boosting skills among their workforce in a bid to increase productivity amongst teams.  

Skills shortages are also on the minds of the majority of manufacturers, as 58% say staff retention is the driving force behind increased investments in training and development. 

Firms claim increased funding (19%) and Government investment in sector specific training courses (18%) would also help to boost workers expertise across the industry.  

Currently, on the job training is the most popular form of upskilling new and existing staff (68%), followed by apprenticeships and third-party training courses (both 33%).  

Last year, Lloyds Bank extended its support for the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC) in the Midlands to help boost skills across the sector.  

The multi-million-pound sponsorship deal will be used to deliver advanced skills across the sector. It’s expected that by 2030, Lloyds Bank’s support will have trained 5,000 engineers, graduates and apprentices.  

Dave Atkinson, SME & Mid Corporates head of manufacturing at Lloyds Bank, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many manufacturing firms determined to boost their workforce over the coming months by investing in skills.

“Our continued partnership with the AMTC will support even more manufacturers across the country to upskill their teams. The centre is at the heart of the UK’s manufacturing industry and its training programmes will be vital if the sector is to overcome challenges like the productivity puzzle and staff retention.”

Case study: Areospace company Technoset Ltd takes on three new apprentices with MTC support 

Technoset LTD, part of Techno Group, a manufacturing specialist in the aerospace industry has taken on three new apprentices that it’ll train with support from the AMTC. 

The business has previously used apprenticeships to build a pipeline of future talent, addressing skills gaps within the company.  

One of its previous apprentices, Tyler Gillespie, won the Lloyds Bank SME Apprentice of the Year awards 2022 thanks to his work on improving productivity across the firms’ site in the Midlands. 

Kevan Kane, group managing director at Techno Group, said: “Apprenticeships have been a massive asset to our business and help us to develop the skills we need to go after our growth ambitions. Working with the AMTC and Lloyds Bank has given us the opportunity to bring new talent into the business. They’ve both been a huge support to us and we’re looking forward to working with them more in the future.” 

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