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Implications for UK manufacturers
A robust materials roadmap is key to accelerating UK manufacturing, which as of 2024, employed 2.6 million people, representing over nine percent of total UK employment and 8.8 percent of total UK economic output(£ 208.2 billion GVA). Currently, the 2768 UK companies active in materials innovation employ between 35,500 and 52,000 people in materials-specific roles facilitating up to
18 other jobs within UK materials innovation companies. The GVA associated with these materials-specific jobs is estimated to be up to £ 4.4 billion. The strategy estimates that a commitment to materials innovation could double the number of materials-specific job roles by 2035. Investing in upskilling the workforce will help to ensure the sector’ s longterm sustainability, while strengthening the UK’ s position as a global leader in materials innovation and by extension, manufacturing.
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