Page 30 - Swansea Skills Report 2024

Current Skill Requirements
Manufacturing in Swansea has seen a 13%
decline in jobs since 2018 yet job postings for
this sector are on a steady increase. (albeit a
small drop during the pandemic).
With an average of around 2 unique job
postings per job fulfilment, this indicates that
the labour market is available for the jobs
advertised.
However, since 2022 advertised wages have
increased over 17% indicating that attracting
people to the sector could be challenging, or
inflationary wage pressures are starting to
become apparent, or higher specialist skills are
more in demand.
The concern here is that the workforce could
be transient in terms of moving for more
money and doing similar work.
Within the last 12 months, the most advertised
roles are:
• Mechanical Engineers
• Science, Engineering and Production
Technicians
• Engineering Technicians
• Electrical Engineers
• Engineering Professionals
• Production Managers and Directors
• Buyers and Procurement
• Sales related
• Pharmaceutical Technicians*
• Transport and storage*
* Being the most difficult to fill
Manufacturing
Manufacturing future for Wales: framework’
Research, development and innovation
identified as key drivers in responding to the
challenges of increased digitalisation and
automation, particularly with respect to
supporting the acceleration of SMEs and their
supply chains
Innovation support mechanisms (SMART) help
technology businesses to digitally transform
priority industries and public services,
supporting emerging technologies in artificial
intelligence, automation, smart living and data.
Supporting initiatives with the potential to
enhance our reputation - such as a digital,
artificial intelligence and automated hotspot,
including the UK’s first National Software
Academy, a new National Cyber Security
Academy and the Wales Data Nation
Accelerator
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) are
helping transform manufacturing businesses,
enabling them to bring in new skills and the
latest academic thinking to deliver a specific
strategic innovation project through a
knowledge-based partnership.
WG introduced a SMART Productivity service,
offering manufacturing companies support for
determining the suitability of new
digital/automation processes including
specifying and planning their implementation.
Swansea universities are currently getting
involved in this approach and making great
strides, however attracting younger people to
this sector seems to be challenging
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