The York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub in conjunction with Made Smarter joined forces with The Yorkshire Post to hold a roundtable at Coventry University’s Scarborough campus which assessed how the region’s manufacturing economy could grow and prosper. The participants included Mike Pennington, the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub’s Business Relationship Manager, who is helping businesses to forge connections with Made Smarter, a Government scheme which aims to boost UK manufacturing growth through industrial digital transformation.

Ben Henry, the production director at manufacturing company Hunprenco, said recruitment was a major issue; with around 20 per cent of his workforce within two years of retirement. He said the most effective way to solve recruitment problems is to upskill staff and introduce apprenticeships.

He added: “Made Smarter has helped us fund a robotics project to automate another section of our production line...This has enabled us to focus resources on training and development.”

The Made Smarter Round Table Business event at Scarborough CU with The Yorkshire Post Picture: Richard Ponter

He said Brexit had created barriers which affected his company. Roughly 55 per cent of the company's trade is in Europe and Ireland.

He added: “We have now overcome these issues but more could be done to improve trade policies in the future.” He also said flexible working helped retain senior staff, although younger workers sometimes believed they could work remotely in manufacturing. He suggested that there should be more education on the reality of working remotely in manufacturing, to avoid unrealistic expectations.

Alan Pickering, the managing director of Scarborough-based manufacturing company Unison Ltd said there are lots of challenges around recruitment, because "all we seem to do on the coast is steal staff from each other".

He added: “The pay is good compared to other parts of the country, where we live is beautiful and the work life balance can be fantastic. The problem is a lack of relevant engineering talent being taught or coming in to replace the ones that retire. Education policy seems to be all about money, but it should really be about what's best for local kids in the local economy. We could do with a broader PR (public relations) piece about what the coast has to offer with a more joined up approach from the business community to explain why it is such a good place to live and work.”

The Made Smarter Round Table Business event at Scarborough CU with The Yorkshire Post .. Mike Pennington (second from right front row) and Greg Wright of The Yorkshire Post (centre front row) with the roundtable guests. Picture: Richard Ponter

Mark Bates, Sector Development Relationship Manager (Trade & Investment) and Advanced Manufacturing at Invest in York & North Yorkshire, which is part of York & North Yorkshire LEP, said there was a strong business community in Scarborough which was willing to collaborate. He said that one of the biggest challenges remained transport infrastructure, with many businesses calling for the dualling of the A64 and improvements to the Transpennine Express service.

He said businesses might feel isolated due to transport problems, but these issues can be overcome. He added: "Businesses need to review what their story is. Is it fit for today's younger generation? Through Invest in York & North Yorkshire, we will be banging the drum for businesses here as they seek to tackle gaps in the supply chain."

Mr Bates said the election of a North Yorkshire mayor provided an opportunity for the region to have somebody of high calibre to shout for the region.

Kelly Dunn, the founder and MD of KD Recruitment, said there were many strong businesses around Scarborough but challenges remained around recruitment and retention.

The Made Smarter Round Table Business event at Scarborough CU with The Yorkshire Post .. Conversations during the event . pic Richard Ponter

She added: “ If people want to earn more there is a perception that they have to leave Scarborough and go to places like Leeds and London. However, there are some amazing businesses here on the Yorkshire Coast with fantastic opportunities to offer, but the next generation of talent have no idea what is right on their doorstep.”

"We have a large cohort of brilliant small and medium-sized businesses here that have amazing cultures and employees can really develop their careers in a number of different directions within the same business.”

She said it was also important for companies not to recruit who they believed to be the best candidate from an unsatisfactory pool. They needed to take a bit longer to find the best possible candidates, she added.

She added: "You also need to make sure you as an employer are known within the local community, not just to your customers.”

Mike Pennington, who has joined the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub as a Business Relationship Manager, is helping businesses to forge connections with Made Smarter, a Government scheme which aims to boost UK manufacturing growth through industrial digital transformation. Picture: Richard Ponter

"This way you have access to future employees from Gen Z through to the more experienced millennials and everyone is aware of the opportunities close to them.

“Employers are also seeking clarity over holiday pay changes affecting employees and a better use could be made of the apprenticeship levy.”

This is the first in a series of articles about the roundtable, which was chaired by Greg Wright, The Yorkshire Post’s deputy business editor.

Technology can help manufacturing companies compete on world stage, Made Smarter roundtable is told