Tom Robinson’s Story: Why Manufacturers Need to Back Youth Careers

This year’s edition of National Manufacturing Day is here (September 25^th) – and with the event aiming to shed light upon career options for young people, it’s a timely reminder that the sector’s future depends on our ability to support pathways into long-term careers.

Manufacturing’s need for long-term direction is well-documented. Information from World Skills UK showed that 83% of young people felt they faced barriers to pursuing a career in manufacturing, with 48% having never received any information about a career in the sector.

A 2024 Barclays study further highlighted our sector’s needs. 75% of manufacturers cited the skills shortage as their largest barrier to growth, while recruitment and talent retention ranked second and third respectively, at 36% and 32%.

Investing in youth pathways is the answer – and while the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy has set out support for young people to get into the sector, manufacturers that are adopting a youth-first hiring process are beginning to reap the benefits.

At Basingstoke-based custom cable assemblies manufacturer GTK UK Ltd., the company’s policy of investing in graduates and young people is already yielding fantastic results. One career journey in particular – that of Business Manager Tom Robinson – highlights the impact that investment and mentorship can have on young talent.

We spoke to Tom about his experience working at GTK, and how, with the company’s support, he’s helping to drive change and create a positive impact.

So, Tom, when did you start working at GTK?

“My time working at GTK started back in 2023, when I was studying Economics at Bournemouth University. During my penultimate year of study, I spent a placement year with GTK, working as a Manufacturing Technician.

“When the placement year ended and I resumed studying, the company kept me on a zero-hours contract, which was really helpful in terms of keeping my knowledge up-to-date and staying in the loop with everything that the company was doing. When I finished studying, I moved to my current role, which is Business Manager for Cables and I/O.”

Was it a challenge moving into the new role?

“Of course, but it felt like a natural progression! My placement gave me a strong foundation in how the business operates and where I could add value. Moving into the Business Manager role felt like a natural step because I already understood our processes and had built relationships within the team.

“It was a bit of an adjustment at first, making the move from the engineering department into my current role but I’ve always felt I was more commercially minded than engineering minded. I’ve moved from a position that’s closer to the back end of the product timeline to being at the very start of every customer enquiry. From that perspective, the company’s support in giving me the chance to experience different parts of the business and diversify my skillset early on has been invaluable.”

How important has mentorship been in guiding your progress?

“It’s been hugely important. Having experienced colleagues to learn from – whether it’s technical knowledge, communicating to customers or simply how to approach a challenging situation – has definitely accelerated my growth. Their guidance has given me confidence and perspective when making decisions.

“From a vocational perspective, I’ve had lots of guidance from our Technical Sales Manager, Tom Hennessey, who has offered me invaluable experience and advice. We had regular catch-ups and meetings to check in on my progress, which was really helpful, especially early on.

I’m also grateful to have had extensive mentoring from John Morath, GTK’s Managing Director, and Matt Eden, the Engineering Director, who have both been really generous with their time and support.”

Is there anything you’re particularly proud of during your time with GTK so far?

“I think that coming into the business with a fresh set of eyes, having not worked in the manufacturing sector before, helped me put new initiatives into place that have benefitted the wider company.

“When I was still on placement, I worked on a new ticketing system that allowed our production team leaders to log tickets via their computer and send them to the office, increasing their efficiency and making traceability simpler than ever. To which I beat out over 50 applicants and 9 other winners to win the overall Innovation award at my university’s employability awards program that runs yearly.

“Now, in my new role, myself and the team have been working on a forecasting tool that gives us more visibility over scheduling, the hourly impact that new orders could have to operations and what that could mean to the business’s lead time. We’ve now got greater integration of different business functions, allowing the team to make more accurate decisions in terms of what their headcount in production should be, in order to maintain consistent lead times for our customers.

A lot of effort has gone into developing a system that can be used to make crucial operational decisions, and I’m very proud of the improvement that I’ve brought to this system. However, like most things, I could not have done it without the ideas of experienced individuals around me.”

What advice would you give to someone thinking of pursuing a career in manufacturing?

“I’d say be curious and open to learning. Manufacturing is broad and varied, so the more you understand different parts of a business’s process, the more valuable you’ll be. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get stuck in, because hands-on experience is the best way to grow your skillset and earn more responsibility.

“Starting a senior role with line management obligations at 21 was definitely a challenge, but I have massive appreciation for being trusted with this level of responsibility so early on in my career.

“I would say if you’ve got the right support system around you, anything’s possible. Be dedicated, be patient, don’t be too proud to ask questions and grasp the opportunity when it’s presented to you – a career in manufacturing can be incredibly rewarding.”

Tom’s career so far serves as a great example of how manufacturers can stand to benefit from investing in youth; putting time and effort into supporting young people to explore different aspects and different roles is already delivering great rewards. And for young people, it’s proof that not every route into the sector is the same – there are plenty of ways to forge your own path.

Find out more about National Manufacturing Day (September 25^th).