Recap: Engineering and Manufacturing Forum March 2025
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At our most recent Engineering and Manufacturing Forum, hosted by Sunderland College, we focused on workforce development and the evolving needs of industry employers.
Iain Nixon, Group Vice Principal of Partnerships & Commercial at Sunderland College, welcomed attendees and highlighted the importance of a coordinated approach across educational institutions to help students reach their full potential.
The forum addressed several key sector initiatives, including strategies to encourage young people and women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math as well as managing an aging workforce and competing for top talent in the industry. Chris Small, Learning and Development Manager at AESC, discussed the potential of educational partnerships to tackle workplace challenges and how these collaborations can help local people thrive in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.
Jessie Kelly Baxter, Project Researcher for the Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIP) project, provided an update on feedback from the engineering and manufacturing sectors, sharing key workforce trends and the proactive steps businesses are taking to address skills gaps.
Marianne O’Sullivan and Josh Maratty then delivered a policy update, covering international trade developments and Chamber events, such as the social value initiatives hosted by the Chamber’s Knowledge Team, which focus on the role of social value in procurement.
The Policy team also provided an update on LSIP activities and ways to get involved with the Chamber, reinforcing the Chamber’s vital role as the voice of North East business.
After the discussions, attendees were given a tour of Sunderland College’s City Campus and enjoyed a networking session that provided opportunities to forge new connections and reconnect with existing contacts from across the engineering and manufacturing sectors.
The Chamber’s Engineering and Manufacturing Forum serves as a key platform for North East businesses in these sectors, offering a space for focused discussions, sharing concerns and best practices and gathering information to support effective Chamber campaigning.
To find out more or to be included in the forum invite list, please contact either: [email protected] or [email protected].