Many of the things that we use are made by hundreds of different industries in the UK. Examples include food and drink, textiles, aeroplanes, motor vehicles, steel, pharmaceutical products, electrical and electronic goods, clothing and footwear, chemicals and furniture.

The manufacturing industry is constantly changing as it meets the challenge of tough competition from overseas markets, where labour costs are often cheaper.

Modern manufacturing systems, ICT and new ways of working mean there are exciting career and job opportunities on offer for people with the right skills and qualifications.

In the future unskilled jobs will be hard to find but there will still be opportunities for well-qualified people and manufacturing is still important to the area.

Design, research and development, and ICT will play a key part in the manufacturing industries of the future.

Useful subjects: Maths, English, Business, Design & Technology, Economics, Electronics, Physics and ICT