Leeds Manufacturing Festival: Sponsors announced for expanded events programme

Leeds Manufacturing Festival, which last week launched an extended line up of events that will run until December, has announced the headline organisations backing its 2024 programme.
Lizzie Murphy
By Lizzie Murphy
Published 1st Mar 2024, 16:45 BST

Leeds City College, engineering and manufacturing recruiter E3 Recruitment and Next Gen Makers, which runs a benchmarking and accreditation scheme for manufacturing and engineering apprenticeships, have all returned to sponsor the festival, now in its seventh year.

The initiative now counts a host of big-name manufacturers such as textile firm AW Hainsworth, Sulzer Pumps, Arla Foods and mattress manufacturer Harrison Spinks among its participants. It aims to address the skills and recruitment crisis facing manufacturing and engineering employers by showcasing to school and college students the wide range of well-paid career opportunities on offer in the industry.

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Harry Clark, who works in the quality and finishing department at Leeds fibreglass moulding manufacturer MPM, won Leeds Manufacturing Festival's Apprentice of the Year award last year.Harry Clark, who works in the quality and finishing department at Leeds fibreglass moulding manufacturer MPM, won Leeds Manufacturing Festival's Apprentice of the Year award last year.
Harry Clark, who works in the quality and finishing department at Leeds fibreglass moulding manufacturer MPM, won Leeds Manufacturing Festival's Apprentice of the Year award last year.

Leeds City College head of engineering Mitch Scott said: “Our work with the festival gives us a first-hand understanding of the challenges facing local businesses and their proactive support in helping us develop apprenticeships, T Levels and the curriculum is invaluable.”

Highlights of Leeds Manufacturing Festival 2024 include a series of factory visits to companies such as Airedale International Air Conditioning and LBBC Technologies to promote best practice in manufacturing, plus the launch of a new careers resource showcasing the region’s ‘best in class’ engineering employers.

The programme also features a manufacturing careers showcase at Leeds City College, a female-focused speed networking event for students to meet women at all stages of their careers and in manufacturing, and live careers panels in schools, bringing employers and apprentices face to face with students to give them the opportunity to find out what working in modern manufacturing is like.

Ben Wilson, chair of Leeds Manufacturing Alliance and director of Leeds-based glass reinforced plastic moulds manufacturer MPM, said: “Our sponsors play a really active role in the festival and are involved at every level. Their support is essential to enable the festival to reach as many young people as possible.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​