The SSDA estimates there are over 4.3 million people employed in the manufacturing industries. The technological changes that have occurred in the sector have led to more IT-related jobs being created, with the related skills being more in demand. Of the manufacturing employees:

• 91% are full-time
• 91% are permanent workers
• 5% of the workforce are self-employed
• only 25% are female
• ethnicity and age distributions are comparable with the whole economy

Most of the reported vacancies are in skilled trades (20%) and process, plant and machine operatives (31%) and skill shortages were reported in these occupations. Hard-to-fill vacancies account for only 1% of employment in manufacturing and skill-shortage vacancies account for only 0.5% of employment, which are both lower than average.

Sources: Skills in England 2003, Employers Skill Survey 2003 and SSDA Sector Skills Matrix 2004