UK Manufacturing Urgently Needs Workforce Upskilling to Bridge Critical Skills Gap, Says Gi Group UK

The UK manufacturing industry is facing a serious workforce crisis as nearly 49,000 vacancies remain unfilled, with 42% of these classed as skills-shortage vacancies, according to the latest Skills England report. This figure has risen sharply from 29% in 2017, revealing a growing gap between the skills employers need and the skills available in the labour market, a gap that needs urgently bridging according to Pete Taylor, Managing Director of leading recruitment firm Gi Group UK.

Despite manufacturing being named a top priority in 70% of Local Skills Improvement Plans, progress remains slow in developing the workforce required to fill essential roles. Advanced manufacturing in particular continues to suffer from a lack of structured engagement with schools and colleges, which limits early awareness and interest among young people. This lack of visibility, Pete says, is compounding a long-standing issue for the sector.

“Manufacturing has evolved. It is no longer bog-standard traditional shop floor roles, it now spans automation, robotics, digital design, and sustainability. We need to do a better job of showing the next generation what this industry looks like today and the exciting futures it can offer. Currently, that message isn’t cutting through fast enough,” said Pete.

Regional spread adds another layer of complexity. While a majority of the national workforce is concentrated in and around London, 84% of manufacturing jobs are based outside the capital and the South East. This creates an urgent need for localised investment in training, retraining, and career transition programmes that meet the realities of employers and communities across the UK.

Gi Group UK, which is part of the 10^th largest global staffing firm in the world, Gi Group Holding, is currently filling over 2,800 manufacturing roles per week and actively supports 100 manufacturing clients across the country. The reach gives the company deep insights into hiring trends and talent bottlenecks. Many clients are seeking candidates with technical skills that are increasingly hard to find, including machine operation, precision engineering, and digital manufacturing technologies.

Make UK, the national industry body, has estimated that closing the skills gap in manufacturing could contribute up to £6 billion a year to the UK economy. Pete believes this level of investment in the sector is a necessity to meet the country’s lofty ambitions.

“Without action, there is a real risk that businesses will be forced to scale back operations, delay investments, or shift production elsewhere.

“There is strong employer demand and a genuine willingness to invest in people,” added Pete. “But we need to meet that with a system that enables faster and more focused upskilling, clearer career pathways and stronger partnerships between industry, education and government. It’s time to treat this as a national priority.”

Russell Roof Tiles supplies products for top housebuilders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects. The company manufactures roofing systems used on buildings across the country, for all the UK’s premier housebuilders, social housing projects, architects, and developers.  With a turnover of £50m+ the business employs 160 people across the three sites, including a new state-of-the-art £20 million plant at Burton.

Manufacturing recruitment is an ongoing challenge for the firm, with current vacancies at all of its sites in the Midlands and Scotland.

Andrew Hayward, Managing Director, comments, “As a leading manufacturer of construction products, we are continually recruiting for operatives to join our industry-leading teams.  Whilst we utilise new technologies, skilled people are also essential to support the success of our plants and the output of our quality products.

“The manufacturing sector needs to focus on nurturing new talent to join industry, making it an appealing career opportunity. Russell Roof Tiles has always been passionate about encouraging individuals to pursue a manufacturing career, particularly in engineering. To help support the UK economy, we must attract new talent to tackle the skills shortage gap. We have invested in launching our own Training & Innovation Hub, which we opened this year, to enable us to comprehensively train our teams.”