Manufacturing companies in the UK are adopting advanced digital manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing for enhanced performance, speed to market, and quality of end product. But, the technical know-how or engineering qualifications and experience necessary for operating such technology are limited as stated by the report—2017 Engineering UK: The State of Engineering.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, presented a report by the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) indicating the temporary status of the boost in Europe's productivity levels.

The UK faces a growing skills gap in the engineering and manufacturing sectors. Young adults not completing school with appropriate qualifications is one explanation, alongside the low number of students opting to study computing due to a lack of adequately qualified faculty to teach the subject. In addition, the computing curriculum introduced by the Government in 2014 is considered insufficient for today's computing requirements in the manufacturing industry.

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Qualified engineers being pulled towards more well-paid careers such as in finances are also responsible for the skills shortage in the manufacturing industry. Obsolete opinions about the industry such as the association of manufacturing with orthodox notions of assembly lines and blue collar jobs also discourage prospective employees from joining the industry.

In reality today, automated software can substitute adequately qualified manpower that manufacturers are unable to find. For instance, technology-driven injection molding and Computer numerical control (CNC) machining can fulfill production requirements for in-house designers and engineers. Latest advancements in digitization are capable of unparalleled speed and quality along with additional applications such as manufacturability analysis to reduce the workload on engineers. As a result, enlightening the forthcoming workforce about the modern and high tech aspects of manufacturing is crucial.

Manufacturers require to embrace and evolve technological advancements to progress while investing in training as well. This requires intelligent tech-savvy workers who can perform as well as transform their work to keep pace with evolving technology and organizational demands. The government is funding a new technical qualification for schools called T-levels to be launched in 2020, which follows the launch of the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy back in November 2017.
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