Commissioned by Make UK to celebrate the hub’s fourth anniversary, Future Makers shines a light on manufacturing and engineering pioneers including Henry Ford, Ross Brawn and Beatrice Shilling – as well as Make UK’s own work to create and inspire the next generation.

“Manufacturing doesn’t start on the assembly line. The minds of few, spark the hands of many, but first fires light the minds, one solution at a time.”

Stephen Mitchell, Director of Apprentices and Technical Training at Make UK said: “Since the opening of The Technology Hub building in September 2016, we have helped train over 1,000 apprentices; Casey’s work perfectly encapsulates how our apprentices can make their own mark on history by helping to make the future.

“Many engineering and manufacturing companies may be thinking about delaying or cancelling their apprenticeship programs in light of the current COVID-19 crisis, but in fact they have never been more in demand – we have over 2,000 young people in our talent pool looking for apprenticeship opportunities, and I’d urge employers to not ‘lock down’ this generation of talent.”

Make UK is also looking for placements for part-qualified apprentices; some of its second and third year students who have been made redundant due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stephen Mitchell added: “These apprentices have already completed their first year at the hub so are extremely skilled and available immediately. Employers would only need to support the last few months of their training requirements and they would then have a fully-qualified engineering apprentice, and we can complete all the final stages of their apprenticeship for them. This would ensure the skills and learning they have already achieved is not lost. We still have a huge skills shortage we can’t afford to lose this talent.”

Make UK’s Apprentice Technology Centre in Aston is one of the UK’s leading facilities delivering high specification apprenticeship training and upskilling programmes to companies across the UK.