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Despite data proving that encouraging and celebrating diversity is a no-brainer for employee wellbeing and business success , shockingly , the Employer Survey 2022 by the Department for Work and Pensions found that one in five employees still see ‘ no benefits ’ to having a diverse workforce .

In the case of manufacturing , what was once a labor-intensive and dangerous job , has now developed to the point where advanced technology skills are highly needed but hard to find . Solving the industry ’ s diversity issues is , therefore , crucial to the resilience of manufacturing . Without it , the sector faces a rapidly worsening recruitment issue .

An ageing workforce and a skills shortage

Many of the industry ’ s recruitment issues stem from dated perceptions of the skill set required for manufacturing . Today , employees use the latest technologies such as AI , IoT , and Machine Learning in their day-to-day work . Yet , the dated perception persists , and many overlook the sector , wrongly assuming it always requires heavy labor .

For instance , at Trivium Packaging , our average colleague is 46 years old . Thanks to this , our workforce has accumulated a great deal of expertise and knowledge , which is a strength for now but poses a knowledgeretention risk when long-term colleagues reach retirement age . We ’ re not unique in this . When surveyed by The Manufacturing Institute , 78 percent of respondents indicated they were very or somewhat concerned about the ageing workforce .

The solution ? Investing in a robust and wide-reaching EDIB strategy . Employers need to shrug off this longstanding and outdated perception of the industry . And it ’ s not going to shift on its own . By showing prospective applicants that manufacturing is a workplace where they are respected , represented , and empowered through equal opportunities , the employment pool opens up to those who may not have previously considered the industry .

This starts with providing fair treatment and development opportunities for everyone . Younger generations entering the workforce are rightfully demanding transparency and

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