Jobs and Careers Autumn 2017 - 233

FOCUS ON

MANUFACTURING

into products that retailers can sell.
Whatever the state of the economy,
everybody needs to eat and drink,
which probably explains why the food
and beverage industry is the single
largest manufacturing sector in the UK
and one of the most recession-proof
- whatever happens, we need food!
This sector accounts for 18% of the
total manufacturing sector by turnover.
It employs over 400,000 workers,
but is expected to see a big increase in
managerial, professional and technical
vacancies in the coming years.
As a packaging operative or food
process worker, your duties would
entail working on machines that put
finished products such as crisps,
soups and drinks into packets, cans
or bottles. There are plenty of other
opportunties too. According to the
National Skills Academy for Food
& Drink, more than 49,000 new
skilled professionals and managers,
along with 27,000 production staff,
will be needed before 2022.

Fashion
Love clothes? You may want to
consider a career in the textiles
industry. Fashion designers are the

P

roducing goods
on a large scale
has helped the UK
economy thrive
since the days
of the industrial
revolution. By
combining the skills of men and
women with the power and efficeincy
of machines, the UK has built a wide
and varied industry manufacturing
everything from cars, aeroplanes and
computers to pharmaceuticals, petrol
and textiles - which means there's a
wealth of opportunities in the sector.
Despite some decline since
Britain was a world leader in the
19th century, this country is still
a manufacturing powerhouse.
According to the manufacturers'
organisation EEF, the UK is the eighth
largest manufacturer in the world
by output. Manufacturing is also
projected to deliver 40% of Britain's
productivity gains over the next

decade. Despite Brexit uncertainty,
the Annual Manufacturing Report
2017, published by Hennik Research,
reflects a surprisingly resilient mood
among UK manufacturers too.
An estimated 2.6 million people are
employed in manufacturing in the UK,
from small-scale producers of locally
sourced goods to huge international
companies supplying products for
the global market. Roles include
everything from engineering and
technology to finance, sales, marketing,
purchasing, supply chain management,
HR and customer services.
If you thought a career in
manufacturing meant working on
the production floor, it's time to
think again. Here we take a closer
look at some of the country's main
manufacturing industries.

Food
Food and drink manufacturers
turn produce grown by farmers

The UK is the
eighth largest
manufacturer
in the world
famous names, but this sector also
involves the processing of yarns
and fibres, dyeing and finishing of
threads and fabrics, and the design,
manufacture and distribution of
textile articles such as soft furnishings,
carpet production, as well as the
development and production of
new fibres and technical textiles.
Around 39,000 people are currently
employed in the manufacture of
clothes and footwear in the UK.
Types of jobs in this sector include
technical, design and production.
There aren't usually any formal
entry requirements for lower-level
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Jobs and Careers Autumn 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs and Careers Autumn 2017
