A BRADFORD careers advisor says the district’s annual Bradford Manufacturing Weeks initiative is providing “huge value” in creating pathways towards employment.

The careers initiative, run by the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, has reached more than 17,000 Bradford students since it began in 2018.

Angela Brackley, Bradford Forster Academy careers advisor, said the employer-based links the school has formed through Bradford Manufacturing Weeks are making a real difference to students.

What happens at Bradford Manufacturing Weeks?

In October, almost 2,000 Bradford students aged 14 to 18 interacted with Bradford manufacturers through site tours, ‘meet the manufacturer’ and ‘meet the apprentice’ sessions, as well as skills and attitude workshops, live demonstrations and practical events.

During the fortnight, Bradford Forster Academy student Sarim Akhtar, 13, joined his fellow students for a trip to Bradford-based air management firm Mansfield Pollard.

Sarim said: “I thought manufacturing was just about building metal things but we were shown how they make the systems that heat up and cool down places like Ikea.

“And we got the chance to have a go at making our owsoundproofingng box.

“It was so much fun and now I’ve visited, I’d really love to do my work experience there and find out more about being an apprentice. It’s so different to what I thought.”

Bradford Manufacturing Weeks is sponsored by Bradford Council, E3 Recruitment, the University of Bradford, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, Naylor Wintersgill and LCF Law.

'Immense value' 

Ms Brackley said: “Our school has been involved with Bradford Manufacturing Weeks since it began and we get immense value from the pathways it creates towards making the right career choices for our young people.

“During the fortnight, we invite local manufacturers in to meet our students, who then decide whether they’d like to visit. After meeting with and visiting Mansfield Pollard, Sarim is now interested in doing his Year 10 work experience there and finding out more about apprenticeships.”

She added: “Bradford is known as a city which is involved in manufacturing and students can walk past buildings every day with no knowledge of what goes on inside.

"Bradford Manufacturing Weeks is helping to change that and I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to our school’s annual career activities and the perspective of our students.”

Nick Garthwaite, chair and founder of Bradford Manufacturing Weeks, added: “Once again the West & North Yorkshire Chamber, its manufacturing partners and sponsors have come together to deliver a two-week careers initiative which is proving invaluable to supporting the pipeline of talent for our district’s employers.”