Next Gen Makers News
2026 Engineering Skills Conference sells out with over 200 delegates registered
Next Gen Makers' national Engineering Skills Conference has sold out, with over 200 people registered to attend on Thursday 22nd October 2026. The free half-day event takes place at the Lloyds Bank...
Sellafield: how T Levels feed our apprenticeship scheme
Most employers think carefully before inviting sixteen year olds onto their site. Sellafield had to think harder than most, given its site is a nuclear facility. Its first T Level placement pilot...
FESTO – turning work experience into engineering early careers
For many sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds, a week of work experience is the first real test of whether engineering is for them. At FESTO UK and Ireland, that week is built deliberately: part...
Pall Aerospace Redruth becomes the first Gold ‘Excellent Employer’ in Cornwall
Redruth based Pall Aerospace has become the first and only employer in Cornwall to hold the Gold ‘Excellent Employer’ status for the Next Gen Makers Engineering Apprenticeships: Employer...
Four Decades of Apprentices: HCM Engineering retains Gold ‘Excellent Employer’ Status
West Midlands toolmaking firm HCM Engineering has retained Gold ‘Excellent Employer’ status in the Next Gen Makers Engineering Apprenticeships: Employer Accreditation, recognising a family business...
What Makes a Great Apprentice Experience? Four Apprentices Take the Floor
For August's Next Gen Makers online meet-up, we handed the floor to the people who understand apprentice experience best: apprentices themselves. Four members joined us: Hannah Mehr (Arup), Jack...
‘Excellent Employer’ status for Engineering Apprenticeships reflects long term commitment of Cummins Daventry
In a continued demonstration of engineering apprenticeship excellence, Cummins Daventry has retained the Gold 'Excellent Employer' status in the Next Gen Makers Engineering Apprenticeships: Employer...
National Engineering Skills Conference returns October 2026
Next Gen Makers has confirmed the return of its national Engineering Skills Conference, taking place on Thursday 22nd October 2026. The free half-day event returns to the Lloyds Bank Advanced...
How Molson Coors Builds Apprentice Onboarding That Starts Months Before Day One
The apprenticeship offer-to-start gap is one of the quietest risks in any early careers scheme. Candidates accept an offer in the spring, then have months to change their mind, take another...
How to Improve Your Engineering Apprenticeship Scheme: Lessons from Cornwall’s First Gold-Accredited Employer
Improving an engineering apprenticeship scheme starts with knowing exactly where the gaps are. Many employers running long-established schemes have no external reference point against which to...
How UK Manufacturers Can Address the Engineering Skills Shortage: A 101-Competency Framework
The UK engineering and manufacturing sector is facing a skills shortage that is not going to fix itself. Make UK's 2025 Industrial Strategy Skills Commission identified 55,000 long-term unfilled...
From 16 to Manager: What Engineering Apprenticeship Progression Actually Looks Like
Most apprenticeship marketing focuses on the start of the journey: Open evenings. Recruitment campaigns. Success stories about a young person getting their first qualification. What gets discussed...
Inside The HEX Group: How One Engineering Employer Built an Apprenticeship Programme With 100% Retention
Most engineering employers we work with would settle for an 80-90% retention rate on their apprenticeship scheme. The HEX Group - a multi-divisional engineering and manufacturing business in...
How Merlin Entertainments Redesigned Its Engineering Apprenticeship to Attract Diverse Talent (Without Lowering Standards)
For many years, the primary challenge cited by UK engineering and manufacturing firms has remained consistent: a lack of diversity within the talent pipeline. While the ambition to create a more...
What Diverse Apprentices Actually Look for in an Engineering Employer
Most discussions about how to attract diverse engineering apprentices feature plenty of employers - and few apprentices. That’s a problem. Because the people best placed to tell engineering...
Why Your Engineering Apprenticeship Pipeline Might Have a Retention Problem (Not Just a Recruitment One)
The UK engineering and manufacturing sector is currently navigating a period of profound transition. While the demand for technical innovation has never been higher, the talent pool remains...
Apprenticeship Units now live for staff upskilling
Apprenticeship Units, short flexible training courses designed to upskill your existing staff in critical skill shortage areas, are now live. Keen to know more? Here is what you need to know... As...
First in the UK: West Midlands Railway Achieves Gold ‘Excellent Employer’ Status
In a landmark achievement for the UK transport sector, West Midlands Railway (WMR) has officially become the first train operator in the country to be awarded Gold ‘Excellent Employer’ status for...
Beyond the Shop Floor: Why CSR is the Secret to Engineering Apprentice Success (Lessons from adi Group)
In the current landscape of UK manufacturing, the competition for emerging talent has never been more intense. As the sector grapples with a persistent skills gap, the industry's leaders are no...
Lessons from British Engines: How to Attract 490 Applicants for Your Engineering Apprenticeship
In the current climate of the UK engineering sector, the "skills gap" is a phrase often cited as the primary barrier to growth. However, recent news from the North East offers a powerful...
The 5% Rise in Engineering Apprenticeships: What It Means for Your Future Talent Pipeline
The UK manufacturing workforce is entering another important period of transition. Looking ahead to the 2026/27 financial year, the latest data on engineering apprenticeships presents a mixed but...
Major employment drive signals stronger support for jobs and apprenticeships
A major new government employment package has signalled renewed national backing for young people entering work, with plans to unlock 200,000 new jobs and apprenticeships and introduce the biggest...
Addressing the Skills Challenge and Industry Opportunity at Leeds Manufacturing Festival
Next Gen Makers joined industry leaders, educators and students at the 2026 Leeds Manufacturing Festivallaunch this week, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in addressing the UK’s...
Alucast Invests in Future Growth with New Industrial Estate Acquisition
A major investment by Alucast, a member of Next Gen Makers, highlights the continued confidence of UK manufacturers and the importance of long-term investment in skills, capability and...
Apprenticeships Back in Focus: National Coverage Highlights Skills Priority
Recent BBC coverage has placed apprenticeships firmly back in the national spotlight, highlighting government efforts to expand opportunities and strengthen technical pathways. The article reflects...
Engineering Apprenticeships as a Powerful Alternative Pathway: Spotlight on Renishaw
A recent feature during National Apprenticeship Week highlights engineering apprenticeships as a powerful and credible alternative to traditional academic routes, with Renishaw sharing insight into...
Skills England Apprenticeship Assessment Reforms: What Employers Need to Know
For engineering and manufacturing employers, the message is clear: quality, employer voice and occupational competence remain central - but the way assessments are structured and delivered is...
Expanding Skills, Investing in the Future Workforce: Why Employer Leadership Matters
A recent LinkedIn article from Brick Kiln titled “Expanding Skills, Investing in the Future Workforce” highlights the growing importance of employer engagement in shaping apprenticeship quality and...
Government Outlines Plans to Support 50,000 More Apprenticeships
The government has outlined plans to support up to 50,000 additional apprenticeships as part of its wider skills and growth agenda. The proposals focus on expanding access, streamlining elements of...
Next Gen Makers and Engineers Insight to bring real UK factories into classrooms
A collaboration between Next Gen Makers and Engineers Insight is set to showcase what working life is like in UK engineering & manufacturing and inspire the next generation across the country....