Manufacturers have been urged to help raise the profile of the industry through a new website which is designed to highlight opportunities in the UK's manufacturing sector.

The website, dubbed ‘the employers’ toolkit’, is the brainchild of the Manufacturing Diploma Development Partnership (MDDP), which is made up of  sector skills councils, representatives of higher and further education institutions (HE/FE) as well as employers from across the industry.

This is the group which is behind the development of the Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design, which is due to be rolled out across schools from 2009.

According to Derek Jones, head of the development team for the Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design, manufacturing is not very high on the careers wish-list of many young people. "This is largely because they do not know as much about the industry as they do, say, media or retail," said Jones.

"A lot of young people wrongly think that manufacturing only offers boring, low-paid jobs and that it isn’t very exciting. Employers are in the best position to challenge these perceptions and demonstrate the huge range of opportunities manufacturing has to offer," said Jones.

The website will feature case studies, videos, profiles and interactive question and answer sessions about manufacturing companies and will be targeted at teachers, parents and pupils in order to encourage more youngsters to consider a career in the industry.

“This offers employers a new way of communicating directly with potential recruits," said Jones.

The aim is to increase the numbers of young people taking the manufacturing diploma as an alternative to GSCEs and A-Levels.

“The diploma is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the industry because it will give employers a direct role in teaching young people about what their industry is really like, what opportunities it has to offer and what skills it requires," said Jones.

Jones sais that interest in the new diplomas is very high. "Four out of five 13 and 14 year olds in school are already considering taking one," said Jones.
 
The manufacturing diploma is one of 17 the Government plans to introduce in all schools by 2013. It will be taught via consortia of schools, colleges and employers, with the latter able to play a variety of roles in delivering the diploma.