12 months on and 62 North West makers are making things smarter

300 North West small and medium sized manufacturers have secured support, including specialised advice and £1.6M of funding, in the first year of the Made Smarter programme.
300 North West small and medium sized manufacturers have secured support, including specialised advice and £1.6M of funding, in the first year of the Made Smarter programme.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) North West is encouraging businesses across the region to enter the Greater China Awards 2020 and earn recognition for their achievements in this constantly evolving market.
Over 17,000 young people from across the North West have expressed an interest in the National Citizen Service (NCS) since the Growth Company was awarded the contract to manage delivery in the region just over a month ago.
Today, the Growth Company has launched ‘Our Services for Your People’, a campaign designed to show businesses how the Group can support their growth ambitions through skills, recruitment and organisational improvement programmes.
Recently, Smart Works opened a pop-up shop in Manchester City Centre’s Town Hall and invited a host of local women to show what they do and what they can offer.
When I attend networking events, I often hear the same problems being raised by companies in the manufacturing and engineering sectors: ‘what do we do about the lack of skills?’ While there is always a need to ensure organisations develop employees for skills retention, I believe this to be more of a lack of awareness of the vast array of opportunities available within these sectors.
I have worked in the manufacturing, tech, engineering and construction sectors most of my career and my own experience has shown that they offer a huge range of opportunities.
On Monday 11 November, a specialist employment fair will be held at Manchester Central to support former Thomas Cook and supply chain staff from across the North West.
The National Citizen Service (NCS) Trust has today announced that the Growth Company has been awarded the contract to manage delivery of the NCS in the North West.
It was announced today that independent travel agent Hays Travel is preparing to buy all 555 Thomas Cook shops in a move that could save thousands of jobs across the UK.