National Manufacturing Day 2026: inspiring the next generation

The importance of early intervention  

Of course, production is at the heart of manufacturing. But modern operations depend on a huge range of skills and perspectives. There are opportunities for analytical thinkers, practical problem-solvers, creative minds and people who simply want to understand how things work. 

If we want to build that future workforce, we can’t wait until young people are choosing their GCSEs, apprenticeships or university courses to introduce them to manufacturing. 

Research³ published in 2025 into children’s career aspirations in the North East found that pupils as young as seven had already formed career aspirations – although more than 60% changed at least one of those aspirations over the following two years. This suggests there’s a valuable window to broaden young people’s understanding of what they could do, and to introduce them to careers they may never have otherwise encountered.  

It also highlights the importance of engaging children well before traditional careers advice typically begins. Key to this is not just showing future generations our technology, but giving them practical experience in an industry that can be difficult to break into. 

Continued career support 

We offer work experience for school students, providing an early insight into manufacturing and careers in the sector, and our Early Careers programme offers graduate and intern opportunities. Around 20 interns have joined our Operations, Engineering and Technology teams in recent years. Many have gone on to permanent roles at Pragmatic, gaining valuable practical experience and an introduction to semiconductor manufacturing alongside their studies. 

But learning and development doesn’t stop once you’ve chosen a career path. Around ten per cent of our employees are currently undertaking apprenticeships, extending their skills in disciplines spanning technical, business and management.  

Inspiring the next generation 

Our technology is helping to redefine what a semiconductor can look like: our chips are ultra-thin, flexible and designed for applications where traditional silicon can’t go. Our manufacturing process is different too, using lower temperatures and fewer resource-intensive processes than conventional silicon manufacturing. 

But perhaps one of the most important things we can manufacture is inspiration.

National Manufacturing Day is an opportunity to open the doors of our industry, but it shouldn’t stop there. Because the future of manufacturing will be built by the curious, the creative, the technical, the practical and the people who haven’t yet discovered what they’re capable of. 

Inspiration starts with exposure: giving young people the chance to see themselves in roles they may never have considered.  

Sometimes, all it takes is the opportunity to see what’s possible.

Discover careers at Pragmatic here