Project MADE has set out a plan to create 50,000 advanced manufacturing jobs in the West Midlands by 2035. The report, published in May 2026, also targets £44bn in annual output and £1.6bn in advanced manufacturing investment.

The scale of the ambition is clear. The delivery challenge is just as clear: the region must turn its manufacturing, engineering and research strengths into larger, more productive, better connected supply chains.

For employers, that means workforce planning cannot sit behind investment planning. For candidates, it points to growing demand for skills in automation, precision engineering, fabrication, welding, quality, production, electronics and technical project delivery.
 

Key takeaways

• 50,000 advanced manufacturing jobs targeted by 2035
• £44bn annual output ambition for the West Midlands
• £1.6bn advanced manufacturing investment target
• 90% digital manufacturing adoption goal
• Skills demand strongest in technical and production roles
   

What is Project MADE?

Project MADE stands for Midlands Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem. It brings together industry, research, regional and policy partners to create a coordinated action plan for advanced manufacturing growth across the West Midlands.

According to The Manufacturer’s coverage of the report, Project MADE includes organisations such as Unipart Manufacturing, HORIBA MIRA, Midlands Aerospace Alliance, BCIC West Midlands, Warwick Manufacturing Group, the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Rigby Group, Coventry University, Coventry City Council, the West Midlands Combined Authority and the West Midlands Growth Company.

The report proposes the formation of a new advanced manufacturing supercluster in the West Midlands, including a formal leadership structure, an investment proposition, stronger demand generation and improved foundations for growth.

Project MADE’s vision is for the West Midlands to become the UK’s leading advanced manufacturing supercluster by 2035, recognised for turning research and development into scaled production.

That phrase matters. The report is not only about innovation. It is about whether businesses can move from ideas, prototypes and pilot activity into reliable production at scale.
 

Why the West Midlands matters to UK manufacturing

The West Midlands already plays a central role in the UK’s manufacturing economy. Project MADE states that the region exports more manufactured goods than Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire combined.

The region’s manufacturing base covers automotive, aerospace, advanced materials, batteries, defence, electronics, precision engineering and wider industrial supply chains. It also has major research and industrialisation assets, including Warwick Manufacturing Group, the Manufacturing Technology Centre and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre.

This gives the West Midlands an important advantage. Businesses can access research, testing, prototyping, technical support and manufacturing capability within the same regional ecosystem.

National policy is also moving in the same direction. The government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan identifies advanced manufacturing as one of the UK’s priority growth sectors, covering industries including advanced materials, aerospace, agri-tech, automotive, batteries and space.

The challenge is coordination. Project MADE argues that the region has the assets, but they are not always aligned around a shared growth plan, a clear investment proposition or consistent demand from major customers.

Project MADE has brought together key leaders across the region to turn a clear ambition into practical, coordinated action. The West Midlands has all the ingredients to lead globally in advanced manufacturing, our task now is to bring those strengths together with pace, focus and discipline.

Steve Rigby, CEO, Rigby Group and Project MADE Chair, quoted by The Manufacturer
 

The five barriers Project MADE identifies

Project MADE identifies five challenges facing advanced manufacturing growth in the region. They are practical issues that will affect whether the 2035 targets can be delivered.

The skills challenge is the most immediate talent-market issue. Project MADE points to a mismatch between provision and employer need, an ageing workforce and an insufficient pipeline of technical talent.

It also highlights the importance of demand signals. Smaller manufacturers may have strong capability, but they need clearer routes into supply chain opportunities. Larger firms need better ways to communicate what they will need from suppliers, especially as production systems change.
 

Why skills are central to the plan

Project MADE says the West Midlands has around 7,000 open vacancies in advanced manufacturing. It also notes that around one-third of the region’s 200,000-strong manufacturing workforce is over 50.

That creates two workforce pressures at the same time. Employers need people for current roles, while also preparing for future retirements, automation, electrification and digital manufacturing.

The wider engineering skills picture supports this. The Institution of Engineering and Technology’s 2025 UK Engineering and Technology Skills Survey found that 76% of engineering employers struggle to recruit for key roles, with technical and specialist skills among the main pressure points.

Project MADE points to skills shortages in several areas:

• CNC and precision engineering
• Fabrication and welding
• Automation and electronics
• Vehicle conversion
• Technical office roles
• Control systems
• Robotics integration
• Panel wiring
• PLC fault-finding
• CAD and CAM
• Technical estimating

This is where the plan becomes highly relevant for candidates. The skills likely to be in demand are not limited to graduate engineering roles. Many are hands-on, production-led or technical office roles that sit close to delivery.

That includes experienced setters, welders, fabricators, electrical technicians, controls specialists, estimators, technical authors, production engineers, maintenance engineers and quality professionals.
 

Automation will change the shape of demand

Project MADE sets a target for 90% of manufacturers to adopt core digital manufacturing technologies by 2035. It also wants 60% to embed automation into at least one stage of production, with 20% reaching advanced automation levels.

The UK has ground to make up. Make UK’s Making it Smarter report found that 70% of manufacturers are investing in digital tools, but only 10% operate fully digital factories.

Automation does not remove the need for technical people. It changes the work required. Manufacturers need engineers and technicians who can make automated systems work in real production environments.

A business can invest in robotics, sensors, digital tools or production software, but productivity improves only when those systems are integrated properly, maintained well and used by trained teams.

For employers, the practical question is whether they have people who can connect the production floor with engineering, quality and maintenance.

For candidates, this is where experience becomes valuable. A maintenance engineer with PLC fault-finding knowledge, a production engineer with automation exposure or a technician who understands robotics integration may become increasingly important as manufacturers modernise their operations.
 

What this means for employers

Project MADE gives employers a clear signal: the competition for technical manufacturing talent is unlikely to ease.

Businesses that wait until contracts, funding or site plans are finalised may find that the strongest candidates have already moved. In advanced manufacturing, hiring often needs to begin before full demand arrives, particularly for hard-to-fill roles such as controls, quality, precision engineering and technical estimating.

Employers should be looking at three priorities now.

First, identify which skills are business critical. Not every role needs to be treated the same. Scarce disciplines such as PLC fault-finding, robotics integration, welding, CNC programming and production engineering need earlier market engagement.

Second, consider transferable backgrounds. Talent may come from automotive, aerospace, defence, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food production, utilities or other regulated manufacturing environments. The common thread is often quality, safety, process discipline and repeatable production.

Third, improve the candidate proposition. Skilled technical workers are not only choosing a job title. They are looking at long-term work, training, technology, progression, shift patterns, stability and whether the employer is investing in the future.

The West Midlands has a strong manufacturing base, but that also means employers are often competing with each other for similar people. Workforce planning needs to reflect that.

What this means for candidates

For candidates, Project MADE points to a region where advanced manufacturing could create long-term career opportunities across multiple sectors.

The strongest opportunities may sit with people who can show a mix of technical skill and adaptability. A CNC background, welding capability, controls experience or technical estimating knowledge may become more valuable when paired with an understanding of automation, digital manufacturing or modern production systems.

Candidates should look closely at how they describe their experience. Employers are likely to be interested in practical evidence of capability, such as:

• Machinery, systems or equipment worked on
• Materials and processes used
• Quality standards followed
• Production environments supported
• Automation or robotics exposure
• Maintenance, fault-finding or commissioning experience
• CAD, CAM or technical documentation skills
• Regulated sector experience

This is especially important for people moving between sectors. A candidate from aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical or food manufacturing may already have highly relevant skills, even if they have not worked in the exact same product area before.
 

Why supply chains need stronger links

Project MADE places strong emphasis on improving demand signals between major manufacturers, Tier 1 firms and small to medium-sized enterprises.

That is a practical supply chain issue. Smaller firms need to understand what larger customers will require, while larger firms need better visibility of the capability already available across the region.

This matters for recruitment because supply chain growth is rarely evenly distributed. When an original equipment manufacturer or Tier 1 firm increases demand, the pressure often moves quickly into specialist suppliers, fabricators, machine shops, testing facilities, logistics providers and technical service partners.

If those suppliers are already facing skills shortages, growth can become harder to deliver. A strong regional plan needs investment, but it also needs the people who can turn commercial opportunity into finished work.
 

Millbank’s perspective

Project MADE is a strong signal for advanced manufacturing employers and technical professionals. The West Midlands has the industrial base, research assets and supply chain depth to grow. The next stage depends on execution.

For employers, the workforce question should sit at the centre of planning. If the region is targeting 50,000 advanced manufacturing jobs by 2035, competition for experienced engineers, technicians, production specialists and technical leaders will remain active.

For candidates, the report reinforces the value of practical technical skills. CNC, welding, fabrication, controls, automation, electronics, technical estimating, quality and production experience all have a clear role in the future manufacturing economy.

Millbank supports employers and candidates across specialist engineering, manufacturing, automotive, defence, energy and process environments. As advanced manufacturing grows, the ability to identify transferable skills and build resilient talent pipelines will become increasingly important.

If you are an engineering or manufacturing professional looking for your next move, speak to our team about where your skills could fit.

If you are planning future technical hiring or need support building specialist teams, contact Millbank to discuss your workforce needs.
 

Frequently asked questions

What is Project MADE?

Project MADE is the Midlands Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem. It is a regional action plan designed to support advanced manufacturing growth across the West Midlands and create a more coordinated manufacturing supercluster.

How many jobs could Project MADE create?

The report targets 50,000 new advanced manufacturing jobs in the West Midlands by 2035. This includes new employment and upskilling linked to automation, digital manufacturing and supply chain growth.

Which manufacturing skills are most in demand?

The report highlights shortages in CNC and precision engineering, fabrication and welding, automation and electronics, vehicle conversion and technical office roles. It also identifies skills such as PLC fault-finding, robotics integration, CAD and CAM, panel wiring and technical estimating.

Why is automation important to the West Midlands plan?

Project MADE wants 90% of manufacturers to adopt core digital manufacturing technologies by 2035, with 60% embedding automation into at least one stage of production. This creates demand for people who can integrate, maintain and improve automated production systems.

What sectors could benefit from Project MADE?

The plan is relevant to multiple advanced manufacturing sectors, including automotive, aerospace, batteries, advanced materials, defence, electronics and wider industrial supply chains. The government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan also identifies advanced materials, aerospace, agri-tech, automotive, batteries and space as priority industries.

What does this mean for manufacturing employers?

Employers may need to plan earlier for scarce technical skills, especially in roles linked to automation, controls, quality, welding, CNC, production engineering and technical estimating. Waiting until demand is immediate can make hiring harder.

What does this mean for candidates?

Candidates with practical manufacturing, engineering, automation, quality or technical production experience may find increasing opportunities across the region. Transferable skills from regulated manufacturing environments could be particularly valuable.