If you work in manufacturing, you probably don't need us to tell you that finding the right people isn't getting any easier. Skills shortages, reliability, retention and leadership capability are all part of the conversation we have with manufacturers every day.
But recruitment is only one part of that conversation. When we spoke directly to 40 manufacturing leaders for our Manufacturing Workforce Reality Report 2026, training and development kept coming up alongside recruitment as an important part of building a stronger workforce.
And that makes sense. The strongest workforce strategy isn't about choosing between recruiting new people and developing the people you've already got. It's about getting the two working together.
In fact, 70% of manufacturing leaders identified training and development as the most effective approach to strengthening workforce capability and addressing current skills gaps.
When we asked leaders what type of support, tools or training would make the biggest difference, a lot of the answers pointed towards formal leadership training, followed by areas such as NEBOSH and Health & Safety training.
It's interesting because these aren't necessarily the first things people think about when discussing the manufacturing skills gap. The conversation often goes straight to technical qualifications and hard-to-fill roles. But the feedback we received suggests there's another side to it.
The skills challenge within manufacturing isn't simply about finding more technically qualified candidates. It's also about giving existing employees, supervisors and managers the tools they need to develop.
Our research found that 60% of manufacturing leaders identified soft skills such as communication, initiative, reliability and problem-solving as the hardest qualities to find in candidates. A further 30% highlighted cultural and values alignment, compared with just 10% who identified shortages in specific technical occupations.
So yes, technical skills matter. But manufacturers are also looking for people who communicate well, take initiative, solve problems, turn up reliably and fit into the team. From a recruitment perspective, that changes the conversation around what the 'right' candidate actually looks like.
One of the clearest themes to emerge from our research was the challenge manufacturers face at supervisor and frontline management level.
It's a situation we'll bet plenty of manufacturers recognise. Someone is brilliant at their job. They're knowledgeable, experienced and understand the operation inside out, so naturally they progress into a supervisor or management position.
But being a great operator doesn't automatically make someone a great people manager.
Manufacturing leaders told us that employees can enter supervisory positions without the training required to motivate teams, manage performance, resolve conflict or support employee development.
As one Production Manager told us:
“They’re best at their job on a technical basis, rather than their leadership ability.”
That's where formal leadership training can make a genuine difference. It helps bridge the gap between knowing the job and knowing how to lead the people doing it.
Your frontline managers and supervisors have an enormous influence on the everyday employee experience. They're communicating expectations, dealing with problems, managing performance and helping set the culture of a shift or department.
Yet our research found that people management remains a significant weakness. Leaders highlighted challenges including communication, adaptability and managing different personalities and generations within the workforce.
When you're trying to retain good people as well as recruit them, those capabilities become an important part of the wider workforce picture.
There will always be roles where you need to go to the market and recruit specific experience or technical expertise. That's not going away.
But waiting indefinitely for the "perfect" candidate isn't a sustainable workforce strategy.
Our report found that manufacturers are increasingly dealing with a mismatch between the skills they require and those available within the labour market. Experienced employees are leaving the industry, while changing technology and workforce expectations are reshaping the skills businesses need.
But it does create an opportunity to think a little differently about recruitment.
Instead of asking:
“Where can we find someone who already has everything we need?”
Manufacturers can also ask:
“Who has the right attitude and potential and what could we teach them?”
For some vacancies, that question could open the door to a much wider talent pool. Instead of ruling somebody out because they don't tick every box on day one, there may be an opportunity to recruit for attitude and potential, then develop the skills they need to succeed.
Recruit for the qualities that are difficult to teach — attitude, reliability, cultural fit and willingness to develop — and then create structured opportunities to build technical, leadership and safety capabilities.
Getting the right person through the door is only half the job. Keeping them matters too.
Training isn't only about closing a skills gap. It can also give employees somewhere to go.
Clear development opportunities can help people see a future within an organisation rather than viewing their current position as simply another job.
That's particularly important when retention is already putting pressure on manufacturers.
Our research found that a poor hire can affect far more than the cost of recruitment. Existing employees may have to absorb additional responsibilities, managers spend more time supervising and retraining, morale can suffer and businesses can ultimately find themselves recruiting for the same position again.
Good recruitment gets the right person through the door. Training, mentoring, leadership and progression can help give them a reason to stay.
This is also why choosing the right manufacturing recruitment partner matters.
A recruitment partnership should be about more than receiving a job description, sending a few CVs and moving on to the next vacancy.
At Westray Recruitment Group, we want to understand what is actually happening within your workforce.
Where are your skills gaps?
Which positions are becoming increasingly difficult to recruit?
Where could potential be more valuable than previous experience?
Do you have future supervisors already within the business who could progress with the right leadership training?
And what does your talent pipeline need to look like in 12 months, two years or five years?
Our research found that the manufacturers achieving stronger results are taking a more proactive approach: investing in their people, strengthening leadership teams and developing sustainable talent pipelines.
Those are the conversations we want to have with manufacturers, because understanding where you're going helps us find the right people to help you get there.
Because recruitment shouldn't operate separately from training, retention and workforce planning. They all contribute to the same goal: building a skilled, reliable workforce capable of supporting the future of your business.
The manufacturing skills gap isn't going to disappear overnight, and training isn't a replacement for recruitment. Manufacturers will still need access to great people with the right skills and experience.
But the feedback from manufacturing leaders suggests that recruitment and development work best when they're considered together. Recruit the right people and attitudes. Develop technical capability. Give future leaders the training they need. Invest in areas such as NEBOSH and Health & Safety training where appropriate. And create opportunities for good people to progress.
At Westray Recruitment Group, we work closely with manufacturers to understand their businesses, their workforce challenges and the people they need to grow.
If you're struggling to find the right people, thinking about the skills your business will need next, or simply want a recruitment partner who understands manufacturing and will take the time to understand your operation, we'd love to have a conversation.
A representative from Westray will be in touch with you shortly.