Empowering the future: skills investment crucial for industrial strategy success

David Grailey

Managing Director, MTC (Manufacturing Technology Centre) Training

Delivering the UK’s Industrial Strategy relies on a thriving manufacturing industry, but the sector faces significant labour constraints.

David Grailey, Managing Director of MTC Training, argues that while the Strategy emphasises innovation and economic growth, it will fall short without serious investment in skills and enough workers in growth sectors.

With growing demand for talent in critical areas such as nuclear and defence, companies struggle to find people with the right skills. Urgent action is needed to attract skilled workers to advanced manufacturing, especially those from other industries.

Supporting apprenticeships and future-proofing the workforce

Investment in skills and training must be a cornerstone of the new Strategy. It needs to support all businesses, particularly SMEs, which often lack the time and resources to focus on training or onboarding apprentices. Financial and other incentives help to manage apprenticeship administration. In addition, pre-skilling apprentices with the fundamentals before employment can remove barriers to growing and upskilling teams.

We also need to future-proof our workforce. As technology advances, it is essential that the UK’s workforce can use these effectively. Public funding must be used strategically to maximise investment and drive real outcomes through highly skilled workers. By investing in our workforce, we can fuel innovation, enhance global competitiveness, ensure long-term economic growth and provide individuals with meaningful career progression in advanced, well-paid technical roles. Companies will also benefit from lower recruitment costs due to higher retention rates and increased employee loyalty.

Skills are the foundation for a
successful Industrial Strategy.

Focusing on skills is crucial

At the MTC, the focus on skills is happening. MTC leads Innovate UK’s Workforce Foresighting Hub, which identifies skills required for future jobs, ensuring education and training systems meet emerging needs. By gathering insights from the Catapult Network’s technology experts, employers and educators, as well as analysing global and national datasets, the Hub translates foresight into action.

Ultimately, it all comes down to skilled and productive people. To have a manufacturing sector that is resilient, productive and future-ready, skills must be at the heart of the conversation. Properly funding and developing a highly skilled workforce ensures UK manufacturing not only keeps up with global change but also leads the way. Skills are the foundation for a successful Industrial Strategy.