The Engineering Employers’ Federation has published a report arguing that 75% of manufacturing jobs should be medium- or high-skilled by 2020.

To help meet this target, the EEF is recommending that 90% of state secondary-school maths, physics, chemistry and biology teachers should have a qualification beyond A-level in the subject they teach.

It also wants to see a 25% increase in the number of apprentices completing engineering and manufacturing apprenticeships. The Securing a manufacturing renaissance document also recommends that the number
of UK engineering graduates should be increased by 25% by the end of the decade.

EEF CEO Terry Scuoler (pictured) says: “The face of manufacturing is changing as a result of rapid advances in technology. This change is global and will see us face fiercer competition from other manufacturing and trading nations.

"In turn, this will place immense pressure on both the talent pipeline and the existing skills pool. It is vital that the Government steps up to this challenge and works hand-in-hand with manufacturers to ensure that the UK is not left behind.”