Policy paper

See Inside Manufacturing

Published 1 September 2014

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About the partnership

See Inside Manufacturing (SIM) is a partnership between Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and industry. It aims to change young people’s perception of manufacturing.

Manufacturers invite young people, teachers and career advisors to visit their manufacturing facilities and change the sceptical perceptions of manufacturing.

Benefits

The initiative:

  • raises the profile of the manufacturing sector to young people, teachers and career advisors
  • encourages young people to study manufacturing related subjects and develop skills required by industry
  • complements sector education and promotion programmes
  • supports sector strategies developed by government and industry, and the Perkins Skills Review findings, to address barriers to economic growth

Benefits for education

SIM is open to teachers, students 11+ and career advisors. SIM’s aim is to open the doors of manufacturing to young people aged between 11 to 19 yrs old. Some companies may offer to expand their outreach activities with local schools, colleges and universities.

Benefits include:

  • giving young people first hand experience of what modern day manufacturing looks like
  • showing young people, teachers and career advisors that manufacturing can be exciting and rewarding
  • helping schools build better relationships with businesses
  • encouraging young people to science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Benefits for business

It’s an opportunity for business to showcase themselves and raise their profile. This can help:

  • attract prospective employees
  • improve business contacts and community relationships
  • keep employees interested
  • develop the skills of junior staff and apprentices

Employees will have the opportunity to inspire and engage with groups of young people.

Previous events

2011

Government launched SIM in June 2011. It was piloted in the automotive sector under the guidance of the Automotive Council (a sector council). It was co-ordinated by a trade association, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). More than 35 companies and organisations invited teachers, careers advisors and young people to visit their manufacturing facilities. There was almost 100 events across the country, reaching 1000 people.

2012

The SIM 2012 programme included automotive, aerospace and food and drink sectors. It reached out to 4,500 people. It included some of the most successful household name companies:

  • BMW (mini)
  • Honda (UK)
  • McLaren Group
  • Michelin Tyre
  • Airbus
  • BAE Systems
  • Rolls-Royce
  • Coca-Cola Enterprises
  • Nestle UK

2013

2013 saw the SIM programme extended further to 10 manufacturing sectors. Over 170 visits were arranged in October 2013. More than 6,300 young people and their teachers visited companies throughout the UK. The feedback from their visits was positive. Over 90% of young people saying that they had enjoyed their visits.

2014

At the Manufacturing Summit in June 2014 the Secretary of State announced that the SIM programme would now extend to a year-round programme, with a focus remaining in October each year. He also announced that the programme would be opened to all manufacturing sectors; if a company made something they would be welcome to participate. The result was that over 7,600 young people and the teachers took part in the programme. With events still ongoing this number is steadily increasing.

Contact details

For further information contact the BIS Promotion of Manufacturing Team at sim@bis.gsi.gov.uk.

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