by Richard Buckley, Editor, Business Eye

The Centre for Competitiveness and the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast are holding a major summit at Titanic Belfast on 6th June to tackle a critical need for more skilled manufacturing workers. More than 200 representatives of the manufacturing industry, educators and key external stakeholders will be challenged to generate practical solutions to finding and engaging future talent and addressing the need for cultural change that would increase the number of women, young people, returners and career switchers in the sector.



Deputy CEO of the Centre for Competitiveness, Susan Cleland explained that the need for the summit was driven by manufacturers who were experiencing growth but could not attract the people they needed to deliver on market opportunities.
“We are pleased to convene a summit which allows the manufacturing sector and key external stakeholders to come together and explore real world solutions to bridge the skills gap and highlight current as well as future employment opportunities involving functions and skills that are not part of today’s norm.”

“The fact that this summit is being supported by over 20 major Northern Ireland based organisations is a testament to how important this issue is for the sector and the economy as a whole.
“Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s recent research which highlighted that 68% of manufacturers in their Borough had difficulty recruiting the skills they needed, be it for entry level, skilled, managerial and specialist roles underlines the systemic nature of the challenges the industry faces here. It is little comfort that these challenges are also being faced by manufacturers in the rest of the UK as well as the U.S.
At this summit we will hear what manufacturers such as Procter and Gamble, Collins Aerospace, Denroy and Avondale Foods and many others are doing to upskill their workforce, attract new talent and support a much more diverse workforce and what organisations such as Queen’s University and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council are doing to facilitate this.
Claire McAlinden, Operations Director for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences who came from a successful career in manufacturing says;
“The Manufacturing Talent Rules! Summit sits at the heart of our mission at Queen’s University Belfast and we are looking forward to sharing ideas and hearing from the wide range of exciting companies which make up the Northern Ireland manufacturing world. We see our goal as helping the manufacturing sector become a world leader by supplying top class graduate talent, by providing cutting-edge research and innovation and working with the sector to ensure it is one of the most highly regarded in the world.
 “This summit will provide a unique chance to bring together some of the best minds in the industry so we can chart a path for future manufacturing success.”
Platinum Partners for the Summit are First Trust Bank, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council with Gold and Silver partners Avondale Foods, Denroy, Inspire Business Centre, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, ASM, ASG, Balcas, Belfast Harbour, Bombardier, Belfast City Council, Collins Aerospace, Coca Cola Hellenic Bottlers, Dale Farm, Fabraco, Forde Campbell LLC, Hyster Yale, the Lycra Company, McAvoy Group, Moyola Precision Engineering, Terex and Thales. This summit is being supported by Lean In (Belfast) and Young Enterprise Northern Ireland.
www.manufacturingtalentrules.com

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Susan Cleland Deputy Director of the Centre for Competitiveness launches Manufacturing Talent Rules Summit at Ryobi in Carrickfergus with Platinum Partners Anne Donaghy, Chief Executive of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council; Ann McSorley, Head of Corporate Banking First Trust Bank; Special Event Partner Claire McAlinden, Operations Director QUB Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

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