Is it really JUST a skills problem?

Iranpolymer/Baspar The UK’s manufacturing skills shortage is no longer a future concern – it’s a present-day challenge demanding urgent action. But the bigger question is whether this is solely a skills shortage at all.

Conversations at Interplas 2026 suggested a far more complex picture. From public perceptions and career visibility to investment pressures and outdated pathways into industry, attracting the next generation of talent requires more than simply filling vacancies. A common thread emerged throughout these meetings: the industry continues to struggle with telling its own story.

Richard Brown, CTO at Sierra 57, explains, “The talent is there, but the engineering and plastics industries simply aren’t very well known. When people think about the plastics industry, they usually imagine factory machining roles. But the reality is much broader. There are careers in accountancy, quality assurance, human resources, marketing and many other areas. Manufacturing is much more than manufacturing itself; there is an entire ecosystem around it.”

Richard’s comment highlights a wider challenge facing the sector: many people still have a narrow understanding of what a career in plastics and rubber can actually look like.

Charlotte Blant, CEO and Founder at Tiro Training, reinforces this point, “Polymers represent the kind of future-facing career opportunity many young people are looking for: technical, practical, purposeful and directly connected to some of the biggest challenges of our time. They’re embedded in modern life.”

The plastics sector has long been affected by persistent misinformation and misconceptions, with plastics often being portrayed as the root cause of environmental concerns. This can only do one thing: make the industry a very unattractive place to be. But it doesn’t have to determine how we move forward.

Ton Peijs, Professor of Polymer Engineering and Head of the Centre for Polymers and Composites at Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), states, “The industry must do a better job of showcasing its role in enabling a more sustainable, efficient and technologically advanced future. Equally important is highlighting the innovative and impactful career opportunities available to the next generation of scientists, engineers and technologists. By telling its story more effectively, the sector can help attract the talent needed to drive the next generation of sustainable polymer technologies.”

However, perception is only one piece of the puzzle. Visibility also affects the pathways people are encouraged to pursue and the examples they see around them.

Commenting on the first point, Dr Ben Silverstone, Associate Professor, Head of Skills Policy and Strategy at Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), says, “The advice and guidance provided to young people is only as good as the knowledge of those who are able to provide it. The same can be applied to those looking to move careers. Engineering, more broadly, still lacks visible and relatable role models for many people. When astronaut Sunita Williams returned from space, much of the media coverage focused on her appearance – specifically her weight loss and hair – rather than her achievements as both an astronaut and scientist. That highlights how far we still have to go in changing perceptions.”

Alongside these cultural challenges sit significant economic barriers. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty that doesn’t compel investment – particularly for SMEs – the picture becomes more complex. But far from unsolvable.

Daniel Stephens, Vice President at Routsis Training, claims, “It’s difficult to send people out for training as most companies are already understaffed and cannot lose their employees for long periods of time. There is a strong need for ongoing, in-house employee development systems which develop knowledge and skills at a pace which does not significantly interrupt production.” Richard expands on this further, “Many companies within the plastics sector are small, family-owned businesses – I sometimes describe them as ‘lifestyle companies’ because they’re run primarily to support the owner’s lifestyle rather than to grow strategically. When profit is the main focus, business owners may hesitate to invest in training and development.”

There’s no doubt that prioritising upskilling becomes problematic when you struggle to make ends meet. But how much is this a money problem and how much is a resistance-to-change problem? As Charlotte believes, “Upskilling becomes real when employers treat it as business-critical, not as a side project. That means identifying where skills gaps create operational risk, in production, quality, maintenance, lab and technical roles, and building structured pathways around them.” The question then becomes: what tangible actions can the sector take to strengthen its talent pipeline?

For Dr Ben Silverstone, collaboration is key: “The best way to prepare students for industry is through strong partnerships between universities and companies throughout their studies. This can include industry-led projects, work placements, guest lectures, and real manufacturing challenges – all as part of the course.” This is further highlighted by Ton, “To encourage more young people to choose STEM, schools, universities, industry, and policymakers need to work together. By showing students how engineers solve real problems and improve people’s lives, we may be able to inspire the next generation to consider careers in STEM.”

Rebuilding pathways to ensure young people know that university isn’t the only option is also crucial, as Richard points out, “I’d start with Skills England. It’s a new government initiative, but it still needs momentum and proper implementation. In the past, we had industry-specific training boards and stronger technical education systems. Over time, many technical colleges and polytechnics became universities, and practical, hands-on manufacturing education was gradually lost. At the same time, the university became positioned as the default pathway for everyone, but it shouldn’t be.”

The message emerging from across the sector is clear: this is not an industry in decline, but one in transition. The challenge is ensuring that the next generation sees that opportunity too. By changing perceptions, strengthening partnerships and creating more visible pathways into the sector, plastics and rubber businesses have an opportunity to reshape their own narrative. Plastics themselves are not the problem; waste, poor design and linear consumption models are. If the industry can communicate both its purpose and its potential more effectively, the talent is there waiting to be found.

As Charlotte concludes, “This is not a problem industry. It is an essential industry with a transformation challenge. For the next generation, that should be exciting. It means there is meaningful work to do, real skill to build, and a genuine opportunity to help shape the future of materials, manufacturing and sustainability.”

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