A Blackburn SME manufacturer, supported by Made Smarter, is tapping into digital talent to help put technology at the heart of their growth plans.
With many internships and placements being delayed or cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak1, Made Smarter – a national movement helping SME manufacturers in the North West to adopt digital technologies – is bucking the trend by offering undergraduates, master’s and PhD students, and graduates from UK universities a golden opportunity to gain valuable hands-on practical experience, a taste of a potential career path, and a foot in the door of a forward-thinking company or industry.
Darwen Terracotta, based in Blackburn, is a manufacturer and supplier of replica architectural terracotta and faience for the restoration and repair of historic buildings.
It wanted to explore how 3D scanning and printing technologies could be adopted into its manufacturing processes and was linked to a student at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Steve Allen, director, said: “So many of our manufacturing processes are done by hand, but we are a forward-thinking business and want to explore how technology can help. We have invested in technologies before which didn’t turn out as we’d hoped, so we wanted to take a more cautious approach.
“Having an intern who could look at our factory, how we make things, and research how 3D scanning and printing can help, has been highly beneficial. It meant we didn’t have to take the gamble of any capital investment, but instead allowed the intern to use his university’s access to leading edge research to test various technologies first. It’s certainly a win-win for him and us. He’s getting that unique work experience, the opportunity to make a real difference in a business and expanding his skillset. We are getting the expertise who can share their knowledge and research and give us an independent view.”
Interns are working on live projects across the North West which are having a real effect on the business’s long-term success.
Projects range from implementing new hardware or software to developing a digital road map and strategy to support their digital transformation.
SME manufacturers are benefiting from the fresh insight of a digital native to help them adopt technological tools that result in a raft of benefits, including increased revenue growth, reduced production time, and produce the data and insight for new product and market development.
Meanwhile, interns are benefitting from paid work experience, valuable hands-on practical work experience, a taste of a potential career path, and a foot in the door of a forward-thinking company or industry. A number have even secured permanent jobs.
Made Smarter, the industry-led, government-backed national movement, has a wealth of students and graduates ready to take up the 480-hour internships which can be carried out through full-time or part-time options.
Donna Edwards, programme director for Made Smarter, said: “It has been fantastic to see so many talented students and post-graduates helping to realise the technology ambitions of many of the region’s SME manufacturers.
“It’s a win-win for the interns and manufacturers. Students and graduates gain industry knowledge, transferable skills and real-life experience, while being paid the national living wage, and businesses can benefit from a fully funded digital native to help them to understand how new technology can transform production.
“Internships and work placements are a vital tool for students making that transition from university to employment.
“The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of opportunities, and a lot of uncertainty as to what will be available in the future.
“Made Smarter has been successful in linking digital technology interns to manufacturers all over the North West and I would encourage undergraduates in their second and third year, postgraduates at any stage of their course and recent graduates from any UK university to register their interest.”
