From mining to manufacturing: How Cornwall is thriving in the skills sector

In this episode, Steph is finding out about the thriving engineering and manufacturing sector in Cornwall. 

First up, she meets Eric Nicholls, Chair of the Cornwall Manufacturing Group, whose members employ about 4,000 people with a combined turnover of roughly £600m.  

He explains how the area’s mining heritage provided roots for what is now a diverse offering of manufactured products and services, and how a close working relationship with local colleges has significantly transformed the skills. 

At Watson Marlow, Head of Manufacturing Engineering Neil Banbury describes how his own career path took him from starting as an apprentice to his current role in senior leadership, which included restarting as an apprentice as part of strategic leadership qualification.   

Matt Newman is another employee with Watson Marlow, who has recently embarked on a Project Management secondment. Matt outlines how a two-year engineering course when he was younger, swayed his career decision and lead to an apprenticeship in machining. He also tells Steph why he has been keen to continue learning as his career progressed and how that led to being named Management Apprentice of the Year 2024. 

Watch episode 31

Get in touch with the podcast via email at [email protected] with your comments, feedback, and ideas.