6 minute read - 19th June 2025
Design & Make Challenge 2025 will address obstacles in a bid to build UK manufacturing competitiveness
There is no escaping the current economic challenges piling up for UK manufacturers, and alongside long-fought growing pains, there’s a heightened need for positive action according to the seven SMEs and industrial design house collaborating under the Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN Group) banner.
From persistent skills shortages and rapid technological change to rising operational costs and growing global competition, in this context, STEM engagement initiatives like the Design & Make Challenge, organised by the MAN Group, have never been more vital.
Whilst this kind of initiative is built on a foundation of educational outreach, it also demonstrates a more strategic investment in the sector’s long-term viability. It is an investment that MAN Group companies hope will inspire the wider UK manufacturing community to take similar action.
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Bridging the skills gap
UK manufacturing is grappling with a significant skills shortage, particularly in STEM fields. According to the UK Commission for Employment & Skills, 43% of STEM vacancies are hard to fill due to a lack of qualified applicants. This shortage hampers innovation and productivity, threatening the sector’s global competitiveness.
This skills shortage in UK manufacturing is well-documented and Engineering UK estimates that over 170,000 new engineers and technicians are needed to meet demand through to 2030. Yet many roles remain unfilled due to a lack of awareness, preparation, or enthusiasm amongst young people.
The Design & Make Challenge addresses this issue head-on by inspiring students to pursue careers in engineering and manufacturing. The 2024 event brought together nearly 100 pupils from 15 schools to tackle real-world engineering problems, in this instance constructing a device to lift a 23kg metal block using a pulley system. By providing hands-on experience and mentorship from industry professionals, the challenge helps students develop critical skills and fosters interest in STEM careers.
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Employment and National Insurance pressures
Manufacturers are fighting a perfect storm of operational breakpoints, with supply chain pressures and inflation, but also with increasing employment costs – including the recent hike in National Insurance contributions. These cost pressures are particularly acute for SMEs, who are already balancing thin margins and struggling to maintain competitiveness.
This is where strategic early talent engagement can help. Apprenticeships, for example, offer a dual benefit: they create a pipeline of skilled workers tailored to the specific needs of a business, whilst offering cost-effective resourcing models. Employers can access government funding for apprenticeship training, and apprentices earn as they learn.
By engaging young people early through initiatives like Design & Make, businesses improve their chances of recruiting committed, capable apprentices who have already shown aptitude and interest. These individuals can then be trained internally, gradually taking on greater responsibility and contributing to productivity – ultimately helping offset some of the rising employment and NI cost burdens with long-term workforce stability.
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Preparing for the future of work
The manufacturing sector is transforming at pace. From smart factories to automation, digital twins to green manufacturing, the industry of tomorrow will look radically different, and will require a workforce ready to adapt and lead. Traditional routes into manufacturing may not be sufficient to meet this challenge.
By focusing on innovation, team-based problem solving, and practical skills, Design & Make encourages competencies that will be vital in the future world of work. Participants are learning how to design and build things – they’re learning how to think like engineers. This type of exposure at a young age is critical to improving both the volume and quality of future job applicants across the industry.
The types of engineering roles needed now and poised to increase rapidly in the near future are new and specific. In the past 5 years, postings for ‘green’ engineering jobs have increased by 55% and postings requiring ‘green skills’ by 48%. The transition to net zero is creating new job opportunities but with the adjacent consequence of further widening the skills gap.
Furthermore, if the Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterised by the integration of technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Internet of Things, is as critical to competitiveness as documented, then the demand for talent requires a workforce proficient in STEM disciplines. The UK has approximately 98 industrial robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees, placing it below the global average of 151 and making it the lowest amongst G7 countries. To be anywhere near competitive, UK manufacturers must adopt these technologies and develop the future workforce primed to understand and manage them.
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A model for collaboration
Design & Make is also a shining example of how industry and education can work together for mutual benefit. With support from businesses across the MAN Group and academic partners like WMG at the University of Warwick, the initiative creates a live ecosystem of mentorship, learning, and aspiration. Students gain insight into real careers; companies gain early access to emerging talent.
Furthermore, diversity remains a pressing issue in STEM fields, with women and underrepresented groups often facing barriers to entry. The Design & Make Challenge actively works with education and media to promote inclusivity, encouraging participation from a diverse range of students. In over five years of hosting the event, around £100,000 of press coverage, including regional and national TV appearances has been secured. The initiative is punching way above its grassroots weight to provide equal opportunities and use media channels that guarantee a mass audience’s attention. This includes demonstrating the impact of diverse role models, the benefits of breaking down stereotypes, and what a more inclusive manufacturing workforce can look like.
At a time when the sector is calling for more support and joined-up thinking, this type of collaboration shows what’s possible. It strengthens community ties and reinforces positive perceptions.
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Proactive response
In the face of current economic headwinds and the ongoing pressures of the talent crisis, it would be easy to scale back outreach and engagement efforts. But doing so would risk deepening that crisis and leaving UK manufacturing unprepared for what lies ahead. The Design & Make Challenge is a model of how manufacturers can take proactive steps to inspire the next generation and tackle today’s challenges head-on, including rising employment costs.
MAN Group has long held the collective belief that by investing in people, especially early in their journey, manufacturers can nurture future engineers and safeguard the future of the industry itself. It hopes this same belief, demonstrated through the ongoing investment in Design & Make can multiply and inspire the UK manufacturing community to join the mission.
This year’s Design & Make Challenge will be held on Tuesday 8th July in the Junction Building at the University of Warwick for what promises to be the biggest event in its six-year run.
MAN Group Co-Chairs, Peter Davies and Austin Owens are also welcoming conversations with potential event sponsors. They are offering attractive sponsorship packages from Bronze to Gold standards, with the ambition to grow well beyond 100 pupils and 20 schools in the future. Those passionate about making an impact on the success of the future UK manufacturing workforce should reach out directly to Peter or Austin.
