Manufacturers fear loss of foreign skills
Manufacturers in the UK fear that their ability to attract overseas talent will decrease now that the Brexit transition period is over, according to a major survey.
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"With as many as four in five UK firms either developing or already delivering an enhanced service offering to their clients, it’s crucial businesses are able to swiftly respond to our new relationship with the EU, especially relating to people movement, if they are to remain competitive in an increasingly customer focused global stage."I found it heartening to see that so many respondents are focusing on strengthening business resilience by investing in their people and diversifying their trade models in 2021."UK manufacturers are resilient by nature and, with the right investor and government support, their agility and drive will enable them to build new trade networks and embrace the clean, green digital revolution, ensuring the UK remains a go-to destination for many more years to come."Stephen Phipson, chief executive of Make UK said the post-Brexit transition to new trading arrangements with the EU was always going to be the biggest challenge facing manufacturers this year and the fact that a trade deal had been reached with Brussels did not alter that."However," he added, "just as the sector rose to the challenge of aiding the national effort at the start of the pandemic, it is clearly set to do so again as we re-build the economy and take advantage of the opportunities from digital technologies."To ensure we cement the role of industry in the future economy we need to see a strategic vision from government for the whole economy across the UK. This must go way beyond short-term tinkering and involve an industrial strategy that takes at least a decade-long horizon with the whole of government putting its shoulder to the wheel to deliver it."
Read more news and views from David Sapsted.
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