Manufacturing makes up one-sixth of the economy and the UK has some world-class manufacturers. Its importance tends to be hidden behind the statistics that show a decline in output. Sector information

Employment in the sector is expected to decline overall, although there is still a significant demand for new entrants with higher levels of skill. Sector information

Technical progress should lead to productivity growth and help to meet customers’ demands for high quality products. Sector information

Some sub-sectors have regional clusters, but there are few regional differences in the employment levels as a whole. Regional dimension

The diversity of the sub-sectors in manufacturing means that there are many different occupations available to any level of skill or expertise. Occupations

Employment levels in this industry are projected to remain stable, with no dramatic shifts in occupational structure. Occupations

There are currently a disproportionate number of men employed in manufacturing. The proportion of people from minority ethnic groups is similar to that of the whole economy as is the age distribution of the manufacturing workforce. Equal opportunities

There are a number of schemes underway to increase the training and skills available to manufacturers. Education and training

Sector information

This contains an overview of the sector as a whole, details future trends in employment together with skill gaps and workforce development issues.

Data and charts

Links to the charts contained within this sector are listed together with links to data and charts from Skills in England (2003) and Working Futures (2004).

Regional / national dimension

Information on regional trends and differences.

Occupations

Information and trends on sectoral occupations.

Equal opportunities

Key information on equal opportunity issues specific to the sector.

Education and training

Education and training information and issues including work-based learning, apprenticeships, vocational qualifications, and further and higher education courses.

Research

A list of recent research publications which is intended to be a starting for those wishing for more detail on the sector.

Discussion points

Thought-provoking and challenging questions to start discussions.

Sector summary: manufacturing

This summary gives a brief overview of the key trends in the sector.

Links and sources

This contains direct links to all the materials used to compile this sector. More in-depth and detailed information can be found in the source materials as only key points have been extracted. In addition, websites and further sources which may be of interest have been included.