New research from MTC has revealed the huge untapped potential of generational diversity in tackling the sector’s 47,000-person skills gap – but employers are missing the opportunity to harness cross-generation learning to support business and economic growth. The research shows that 41% of the Baby Boomer generation (aged 60 to 66) in manufacturing say their skills are going unused. Meanwhile, 91% of Gen Z (18-27) say they are willing to learn from older colleagues. It points to an opportunity for industry to embrace cross-generational learning and unlock existing knowledge before decades of experience retire.

More information www.the-mtc.org

Siemens Mobility and its partners are celebrating the success of the first year of a pioneering programme supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities to enter the world of work. The supported internship programme has seen five young people benefit from extensive support and guidance to gain experience, confidence and vital life skills from a variety of roles at Siemens Mobility’s Goole Rail Village. The initiative is a partnership between Siemens Mobility, learning disability charity DFN Project SEARCH, Selby College and Hft – a national charity supporting learning-disabled people.

More information www.mobility.siemens.com

WH Davis, the UK’s sole remaining independent railway wagon manufacturer – and part of Buckland Rail – has secured a €44m export deal to supply 150 freight wagons to Ireland with support from the UK’s export credit agency. The contract represents the first order under a 10-year framework agreement that could see the number of wagons supplied rise to 400. Deliveries are expected to start in summer 2026.

The contract is expected to facilitate a significant expansion of the company’s workforce by 25%, taking the total number of employees on site to 100. The jobs will be located at WH Davis’s manufacturing site in Shirebrook, an ex-mining village in the East Midlands, helping to revitalise employment in the area. 

More information www.ukexportfinance.gov.uk

The Royal Air Force has fitted its first in-house manufactured 3D-printed component to an operational Typhoon fighter jet, marking a revolutionary step towards faster aircraft repairs and reduced downtime. This notable milestone was achieved at RAF Coningsby, where engineers successfully installed a temporary replacement part for the pylon assembly that connects weapons systems to the aircraft’s wing. The repair was manufactured at the Hilda B. Hewitt Centre for Innovation, which the RAF says is equipped with world-leading 3D printing and scanning equipment. 

More information www.raf.mod.uk