Attracting the next generation into manufacturing is becoming increasingly challenging as young people are attracted by alternative career choices. For industries like sheet feeding, it can be difficult to explain the opportunities and progression that is available.
For CorrBoard, the sheet-feeding specialist based in Scunthorpe, the focus has long been on visibility, engagement and creating a place where people want to work and stay. From teacher insight days to structured pathways and family referrals, Amanda Slinn, HR Manager, shares her thoughts on what’s helped and what still needs to change.
She comments: “I think it’s a difficult one really. People don’t leave school and say, ‘I’m going to work on a corrugator’. It’s not an industry that is immediately obvious to younger people.
“We’re fortunate that with continuous investment we have state-of-the-art equipment, which appeals to those that have aspirations to be engineers or machine operators. It certainly helps us to stand out when people come in. It shows that manufacturing isn’t always what people perceive it to be.
“We’ve established strong connections with North Lindsey College over recent years – they offer everything from post-16 programmes and apprenticeships to HE courses. That partnership has been really valuable in attracting new talent into our industry.
“We’ve also hosted ‘teacher days’, which give those working in education an opportunity to experience business first-hand. It helps to bridge that gap between the roles that people assume are available and those that have evolved and promote new ways of working.
“It’s all about building an understanding so that when teachers are talking about career choices they can do it with confidence and explain the exciting opportunities that are available, dispelling the myths.”
This visibility continues throughout the recruitment process too.
Amanda continues: “When people come to CorrBoard for an interview, they’re taken on a tour of the shopfloor. We want people to see what the job actually involves, what it looks like and how it feels to be within that environment. It’s important that we find candidates that can thrive in the workspace, and you can often tell quite quickly who they are.
“With CorrBoard, you don’t just come for an interview and leave. You’re shown around, you’re included, and you’re introduced to it properly. That way, you feel like you’re part of the team from the very start of the journey.”
Once a candidate becomes a full-time member of the CorrBoard team, the focus shifts to development, progression and culture.
Amanda comments: “We offer different pathways for development such as apprenticeships; the Hull & Humber 30 Under 30 awards, where the winners join the LEAP programme; and structured learning. There are a lot of schemes that make the industry more attractive. We also have a really strong structure in place on the corrugator for progression.
“We’ve always liked to promote people internally rather than hiring externally, but people on the outside can see that culture. They can see that there’s growth here, that people are supported and that really helps.”
In an industry that can be seen as ‘unattractive’ to young people, culture and community matter more than ever.
Amanda comments: “A lot of people come to CorrBoard through referrals – friends or family of people who already work here or have worked for us previously. And I think that says a lot about the environment we’ve built. People wouldn’t refer someone into a workplace unless they believed in it.
“Actively recruiting can be a challenge, and that’s why we continue to attend careers fairs, use job boards and also LinkedIn. For us, word of mouth remains an important factor in all of this. Most of our employees live local to the site, so it’s important that we remain visible and part of the community.”
Of course, things have changed, expectations are different and so are careers.
Amanda concludes: “People don’t stay in the same role for 10, 20 or 30 years anymore. There are so many opportunities out there now which are visible through the advances in technology and rise of social media.
“This mean that as employers, we have to keep adapting. We have to show why people should choose manufacturing. Why they should choose us and what opportunities exist that will deliver an exciting, progressive and fulfilling career for them, both now and in the future.”
For more insight into engaging young people in industry and to explore how businesses can adapt to the changing expectations of new generations, please visit: www.corrboarduk.com and for regular updates, follow CorrBoard UK on LinkedIn.
