Next generation of makers inspired at Leeds Manufacturing Festival

Students from Leeds City College, University Technical College Leeds and other local schools got a taste of their future on 25 March at the Leeds Manufacturing Festival Careers Showcase. 

Hosted at Leeds City College’s Printworks campus, the event saw employers and industry experts showcase roles and career opportunities across the manufacturing industry – from engineering to design and quality control.

The event formed part of the Leeds Manufacturing Festival this March, an annual celebration of the city’s vibrant manufacturing sector. The Festival connects young people and local education providers with industry professionals, addressing regional skills gaps and inspiring the next generation. 

E3 Recruitment, Made in Yorkshire, MPM Group, Next Gen Makers, Greyhound Box, RSE were a few of the city’s manufacturing organisations present who showcased their offering to students across the city. 

Clayton Stott, Head of Engineering and Manufacturing at Leeds City College, said: “This event gives students exposure to the variety the sector has to offer and opportunities to see what they could do in the future, which will broaden their horizons to seeing different avenues into the workplace.”

Stephanie Plazzi, Marketing manager at E3 Recruitment, said: “It is very important to have employees directly connect with students because they can offer a different perspective to colleges.

“We have some really good conversations with students. Some know exactly what they want to do but some don’t, so we’ll find out what skills they have and how they can apply these. A lot of hobbies can relate to careers in manufacturing without people even realising.”

The event included break-out sessions where students could develop key skills in CV writing, interview preparation and work readiness.

Simon Logan, Site Services at RSE, said: “Its community payback for us as a business. It’s not always about a position available. We can give free advice at these events and give students an opportunity to practice their interview skills so we can then provide feedback to help them progress.”

Vincent Hemsworth, an apprentice at MPM, discussed the power of the younger generation:  “they bring new opinions. They come straight off the back of learning and can pick up skills really quickly.”

What’s next? 

Leeds Manufacturing Festival is hosting a range of events in the future including this year’s Leeds Manufacturing Awards.

If you know of an individual, team or organisation who deserves recognition, you can nominate them here: Awards

Visit the Leeds Manufacturing Festival website for more information on these upcoming events: Leeds Manufacturing Festival