EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Babcock to create 1000 new jobs

Babcock is creating more than 1000 new jobs at its large-scale, advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding facility in Rosyth. Underpinning its commitment to develop the skills required to support customers now and in the future, the new job opportunities (taking place over the next four years) will benefit both the UK economy and local communities. Included will be 400 apprenticeships, 350 production support operatives, skilled engineers, tradespeople, and graduates.

New recruits will join Babcock’s state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing and digitally enabled facility that in recent decades has seen investment of more than £200m.

Apprentice numbers are also increasing at the company’s operation on the west coast of Scotland, supporting His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde and the UK’s submarine enterprise.

For further information www.babcockinternational.com

Apprenticeship matchmaking tool in Scotland

A new platform designed to simplify recruitment and support job seekers looking for apprenticeships and graduate roles could help to address the challenges of finding talent and encourage more young people into Scotland’s manufacturing and engineering sector. The Manufacturing Skills Academy at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is working with Skills Development Scotland to explore the feasibility of a ‘Pre-Approved Talent’ scheme – based on similar principles to a university clearing system – to streamline recruitment processes.

For further information www.nmis.scot

Find, specify and purchase new equipment

MACH 2024 (NEC, Birmingham, 15-19 April) is where production engineers, decision makers and buyers go to find, specify and purchase new machine tools and other manufacturing technologies. This year, the show pledges to be the destination of choice for companies looking to adopt and invest in the digital revolution.

MACH showcases live, digital production systems under one roof, providing a venue where visitors and exhibitors can discuss and complete hundreds of millions of pounds worth of business. Attracting 26,000 visitors and over 600 exhibitors, please see MTI’s MACH exhibition preview further on in this issue. It outlines some of the key technologies to look out for at this year’s event. Further technologies will feature in MTI’s MACH show issue on 8 April.

For further information www.machexhibition.com

CEO of the year

One of industry’s leading business figures has put manufacturing on the map by securing a notable regional award. PP Control & Automation’s Tony Hague was named as CEO of the Year at the Business Desk West Midlands Awards, beating off competition from some of the area’s biggest names from wide range of sectors, including marketing, tourism and leisure. Under his leadership and commitment to investment in automation and technology, PP C&A has grown from 27 staff and £2.5m sales to a £36m+ turnover business, working with 20 of the world’s largest machinery builders.

For further information www.ppcanda.com

Call for 15% GDP target for manufacturing

The head of manufacturing body Make UK has called for all political parties to commit to an industrial strategy carrying an explicit target for industry to account for 15% of UK GDP, with the potential to add an extra £150bn to economic output. Addressing the recent Make UK National Manufacturing Conference at the QE2 Centre in Westminster, CEO Stephen Phipson also set out five key priorities for the next government, and called for a fundamental review of defence policy and procurement policies that favour the UK’s defence manufacturing sector.

For further information www.makeuk.org