Closing the Skills Gap: Automation Training Opportunities Through Automate UK
Published in 2023, the Manifesto for Automation drew attention to the lack of available talent across all sectors of manufacturing. This has been an ongoing issue, with a Skills Horizon Barometer report revealing that 92% of manufacturing SMEs are anticipating skills gaps in 2025, especially in technical and entry-level roles.
The shortage of talent is known to come at a major economic cost, with billions of pounds in lost output and growth potential. However, there is the potential to close the gap by providing more opportunities for STEM learning in schools and delivering the training needed to support manufacturing sector growth in the UK. We’ll explore the types of automation training initiatives and opportunities offered by Automate UK here.
Scale of the Challenge
While not insurmountable, there’s no denying the significant challenge of closing the manufacturing sector skills gap. Indeed, the vacancy rate in manufacturing reached 4.0 per 100 jobs in 2024 - the highest level in two decades, and significantly more than in retail and other sectors. 36% of vacancies in UK manufacturing have been reported as “hard-to-fill” due to the lack of people with the required skills and knowledge.
The skills shortage is bound to be a continuing issue unless there are major changes in the perception of the manufacturing sector and the development of talent. This should begin in schools, ideally with the STEM-focused expansion of the curriculum. There’s also a clear need to dispel the perception of manufacturing roles being dirty, physically demanding, and old-fashioned. Young people should be informed and guided on the manufacturing sector pathway, particularly given the high proportion of existing manufacturing workers nearing retirement.
Automate UK’s Role in Career Progression
Automate UK is committed to filling the skills gap through the training and financial support of apprentices of Automate UK member companies. Operating as Automate BEST (previously PPMA BEST), we are a charity aiming to increase the availability of apprenticeships, while also addressing the under-representation of women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds. We offer a variety of bursaries and apprenticeship grants for employers to support the engineering and manufacturing community.
Automate BEST’s range of support also includes:
- Working with the members of the BEST Club (current and past apprentices and employers) to support the promotion of apprenticeships in engineering, manufacturing, robotics, and industrial machine vision
- Sharing details of the latest opportunities with prospective apprentices and employers; offering a range of guides and resources as a complement to our other work.
- Providing opportunities for our Automate BEST Apprentices to exhibit at national shows, work together, and help with fundraising for the next cohort of Apprentices as part of the BEST Club.
The outstanding results being achieved through Automate BEST were highlighted in the 2024 impact report, with STEM event coordinator Matt Fox saying:
“I have seen the charity grow in scope, scale, and confidence - from engaging a few hundred students in the early years to over 100,000 today. BEST has had a profound impact on the lives of so many young people.”
The transformative impacts were confirmed with a survey of BEST award recipients and Automate UK member companies who either have an apprentice or have been involved with BEST in 2024. 86% of apprentices said that BEST had made an impact on them, with 82% saying that they felt supported by Automate BEST as a charity.
Automate BEST is a clear success, nurturing talent, aligning training with industry needs, and promoting long-term career progression in manufacturing. Yet there’s more to be done, with MAKE UK reporting a “glaring shortage of skilled workers” that threatens the growth and competitiveness of the UK’s manufacturing sector. The skills shortage may also lead to product liability issues, with defects and recalls being more likely. Such problems are bound to have a damaging impact on the reputations of manufacturing businesses.
Training Opportunities
Besides the development and attraction of emerging talent, there must also be a focus on retaining and making the most of the existing manufacturing workforce. Automate UK offers a variety of training covering everything from personal development to marketing and technical skills for this purpose. Such training opportunities are also bound to have a positive impact on the attraction of those considering manufacturing careers.
Automate UK’s training events are focused on key topics such as:
Such varied training will allow for the development of technical and soft skills, which can positively impact the prospects of manufacturing businesses across the UK.
Impactful Development
Research shows the recognised value of apprenticeships and training among manufacturing sector employers. The benefits are clear, with the improvement of product quality, service, and employee morale. Organisations involved in practical training and apprenticeships are also bound to see improved retention, culture fit, and innovation capacity. Tech-focused training can help in the adoption of automation and digital technologies, which will become increasingly common in the next generation of smart factories.
With such a variety of benefits, there’s every reason to get in touch and explore the range of training and development opportunities offered by Automate UK. In becoming a member, you can also gain subsidised access to the Automate UK training courses. Together we’ll empower the UK’s manufacturing sector.
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