"We need to engage young people with our sector at an earlier age and demonstrate that manufacturing is exciting, enterprising and full of opportunities."
Dorthe M Pratt, founder of Sedbergh Soap Company
Jaguar Land Rover in Halewood hosted our debate, where a seven-strong panel answered questions from the floor and the audience votted to add their own views.
In cautiously upbeat mood, half those attending said manufacturing will represent a bigger share of the UK economy in a decade's time and two-thirds believed manufacturing is now out of recession - but only just.
The panel included
- Alan Walker, Manufacturing Controller at Jaguar Land Rover;
- Richard Adamson, Global Supply Chain Director at PZ Cussons;
- Dorthe M Pratt, founder of Sedbergh Soap Company and winner of national start-up business of the year 2008; and
- Graeme Allinson, Head of Manufacturing, Transport and Logistics at Barclays Bank