Make it in Great Britain 30 Under 30 revealed
MK Electric technician announced as one of 30 young manufacturing stars
Adam King from Southend-on-Sea in Essex has been announced as one of 30 young rising stars of the manufacturing world by Business Minister Mark Prisk.
The Make it in Great Britain ‘30 Under 30’ come from all walks of manufacturing and were selected by a panel of expert judges. As well as Adam, who is a technician at MK Electric’s factory in Southend-on-Sea, they include young talent from companies such as Pendennis Shipyard and GlaxoSmithKline as well as SMEs including The Paper Cup Company and Vantage Power.
Adam was selected for being a true high flyer, standing out from his peers and demonstrating passion, enthusiasm and ambition in his role.
Adam will now go on to act as an ambassador for the Make it in Great Britain campaign, which aims to challenge outdated opinions and transform the image of modern manufacturing. He will have a special role in engaging with other young people, to ensure that the next generation is aware of the great jobs and careers in the industry.
Business Minister Mark Prisk said, ‘There’s a huge range of different job opportunities in modern manufacturing, in design, in engineering and in production.
‘We need more talented, enthusiastic people to fill these roles, and we hope that the 30 Under 30 will inspire the next generation to consider a career in manufacturing.’
Paul Jackson, CEO of Engineering UK and one of the 30 Under 30 judges added, ‘I am always impressed at the level of young talent present in manufacturing and engineering, and over the years have met countless young people brimming with potential who have gone on to achieve great things.
‘That is one of the reasons why I am supporting Make it in Great Britain, and why I was happy to be a judge for the 30 under 30.
‘We need to be encouraging more motivated, ambitious young people to consider careers in manufacturing to ensure that the industry continues to grow. The 30 Under 30 finalists are all enjoying successful careers, and I believe that they will inspire other young people to follow in their footsteps. I look forward to meeting them.’
Successful entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den Star Deborah Meaden is backing the Make it in Great Britain campaign, and is particularly supportive of the 30 under 30.
She said, ‘It’s important to encourage young people to see the value of manufacturing careers. The 30 under 30 will be a valuable asset to the campaign by offering a fresh perspective on what it takes to start up a business or launch new ideas.
I look forward to working alongside them to help inspire the next generation of youngsters about a future in manufacturing.’
Catherine Connolly, UK & Ireland business director for MK Electric added, ‘Adam made an outstanding impression from the moment he started on the apprenticeship scheme. He has all the skills needed by a future leader of the industry – an innate ability to identify creative ideas for process improvement as well as the tenacity and engineering talent to drive results and innovation. He has helped MK Electric to increase up-time eight per cent, significantly reduce machine changeover time and drive a more sustainable manufacturing site that allows us to be flexible to our customers’ demands.
‘He is a real ambassador for our business and for the manufacturing sector as a whole – proving the worth of investment into structured apprenticeships.’
The Make it in Great Britain campaign will culminate in an exhibition at the Science Museum, taking place from 24th July until 9th September.
For further information about Make it in Great Britain visit: http://makeitingreatbritain.bis.gov.uk/
