Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership

The Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership met on 22nd May with a strong sense of collaboration, as attendees came together to share insights, identify gaps, and build on the themes from the previous session. The focus remained on strengthening the regional manufacturing talent pipeline across Oxfordshire and Berkshire, with a recognition that many challenges—such as limited understanding of training pathways, gaps in employer-education engagement, and difficulties reaching mid-career workers and NEET groups—are shared across sectors.

Participants received updates on several resources designed to help employers navigate workforce challenges. These included the upcoming Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Employer Webinar Series, a soon-to-be-released Employer Guide to Apprenticeships, and digital tools like the Skills Comparator and Power Electronics Skills Tool. The Skills Builder framework was also introduced as a way to articulate and develop essential transferable skills.

An update from the LSIP and Chamber teams highlighted recent progress, including the launch of new apprenticeship standards, the development of targeted short courses, and ongoing work to create a comprehensive training provision map. The group heard that, while Oxfordshire performs well in terms of overall qualification levels, there are persistent issues with low achievement at Key Stage 4 and among 16–18-year-olds, alongside weak apprenticeship uptake and qualification mismatches. Nationally, skill misalignment remains a concern, with a significant proportion of graduates under- or over-qualified for their roles. The scale of the engineering shortfall—estimated at 59,000 annually—underscored the urgency for early and meaningful engagement.

In that spirit, the group was introduced to a new STEM engagement research project being launched in June by Connectr and UKAEA. The initiative aims to map and improve STEM outreach across the 4–18 age range, culminating in a strategic report later this year. Attendees were encouraged to get involved through surveys, interviews, or roundtables to help shape the findings.

One of the themes for discussion centred around the challenge of aligning training with real-world needs—especially in engineering, where courses don’t always reflect the hands-on or interpersonal skills employers are after. Many participants agreed that more early engagement, mentoring, and practical learning opportunities are needed. Some employers are already partnering closely with colleges or LSIPs, while others are still figuring out where to start. The need for a more consistent approach across the board was clear.

Huduma shared their innovative approach to embedding real-world projects in education, emphasising how this, along with structured mentoring and integration of the Skills Builder framework, can improve learner outcomes. The importance of essential skills came up again and AWE shared that they have identified 32 rare or scarce skill areas—10 of them considered high priority across sectors. The conversation reinforced how skills like confidence, communication, and problem-solving are often just as important as technical capabilities. However, small employers may need more structured support to effectively host apprentices, and young people entering the workforce may need pastoral care and mentoring to build confidence and resilience.

As the meeting drew to a close, there was broad support for the development of tools like a Skills Passport, better training for employers, and more shared language around skills to bridge communication gaps. Attendees agreed that today’s essential skills will continue to matter in tomorrow’s workforce and committed to aligning efforts to ensure both young people and businesses are better supported going forward.