Electronics companies will be one of the targets of a new Government strategy for the UK's manufacturing sector.
"Promoting electronics and electronic engineering are a key part of this strategy. They are at the cutting edge of the UK manufacturing sector for the future,” a said a spokeswoman for the Department of Business and Enterprise.
Called 'New Challenges, New Opportunities', the strategy brings together almost £150m of medium term support for UK manufacturing, and sets out Government's view of what the sector needs for success in the long term.
This includes seizing the opportunities of the low carbon economy, supporting skills, realising overseas opportunities, and improving the perceptions and understanding of manufacturing.
Despite the current challenging global economic climate, and recent downturns in the sector, there is reason to be confident
"Manufacturing is central to the success of the UK economy and it is vital the sector has the right foundations to endure the current economic slowdown and emerge stronger and fitter than ever,” said Business Secretary John Hutton.
According to the Government, the manufacturing industry accounts for over half our exports, contributes £150bn to the economy and around three million jobs.
“I want the UK to be at the forefront of opportunities opened up by the move towards a low carbon economy. With the right support in place, we can grow our nuclear and renewables industries to become world-leaders in green technologies,” said Hutton.
As part of the strategy there will be a new focus on apprenticeships. This will see 1,500 new
manufacturing apprenticeships, in addition to the 9,000 places announced earlier this year which will increase the total number of manufacturing apprenticeships by over 10%.
Skills Secretary John Denham said: “We'll continue to drive innovation in high-value manufacturing, with the Technology Strategy Board investing an additional £24m in research and development to help British manufacturers not only maintain but increase their technological and innovative edge over global competitors."
There will be new support for 600 UK companies to help them identify manufacturing opportunities in India and China. The UK Intellectual Property Office will advise on using and protecting IP in these markets.
There are plans for a new Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry. It will have industrial scale pre-production and demonstration facilities, which could lead to £130m of investment in business-led applied research and its exploitation over the next 10 years.