More than 20 leading figures spoke about the challenges and opportunities facing their sector when they participated in a roundtable discussion, which was hosted by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub in conjunction with Made Smarter and The Yorkshire Post.

The event, which was held at Hospitium in York, and chaired by Greg Wright, The Yorkshire Post’s deputy business editor, highlighted the recruitment challenges facing a number of firms.

Christopher Williams the owner of York-based Eborcraft, which employs 26 people who manufacture office and contract furniture, said: "Everybody's mindset has to change, we have to be dynamic and more agile and face up the challenges of recruitment and retention. We often struggle with the quality of people coming out of the school system. I was amazed and surprised when an 18-year-old took the lead and wrote me a letter asking to work at our company. It happens so rarely.

Caroline Broad, the business development and communications manager at Clarion Solicitors and Andy Makin of EnviroVent at the roundtable Picture: Andrew Taylor

"We need to change the mindset of people in education about the opportunities in manufacturing. There is an aging workforce and there is a danger that, once they retire, we simply run out of workers and all the old skillsets are gone. The challenge for us all is how we begin to make the change.”

Andy Herrington, the owner of Ainsty Ales Brewery, which has five staff, said one of the biggest issues facing small breweries was the cost of production and cash flow.

He added: "Post Covid the confidence of licensed premises buying from small breweries has certainly been knocked. But we’ve also, in the same period, found a big increase in the support-local movement, with over 90 per cent of sales to licensed premises now coming from York, where our brewery is based”

He acknowledged that Covid had accelerated Ainsty's investment in online retailing and he was looking for land to buy so he could relocate the brewery in order to focus more on the company’s taproom.

James Mason (centre) was one of the participants at the roundtable. Picture: Andrew Taylor

He added: “I am optimistic about the future, but it is still a case of survival of the fittest so we are extremely frugal with our cash flow."

James Mason, the chief executive of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said he shared the concerns of businesses who are struggling to find staff, which he said was reflected in data compiled by the chamber regionally. However, the pandemic had also provided a focus on locally made produce as people supported local businesses during the crisis. An increase in demand internationally for British and Yorkshire-made artisan food and drinks has been a huge positive, Mr Mason added.

He also believes that offering children opportunities to visit manufacturing firms to see how they work will inspire them to consider careers in the sector and reduce misconceptions.

Mr Mason added: "The hospitality sector is really struggling, they were the first to close and the last to re-open during COVID and need long term support.”

The event was chaired by Greg Wright, the deputy business editor of The Yorkshire Post.

Picture: Andrew Taylor — The event was chaired by Greg Wright, the deputy business editor of The Yorkshire Post. Picture: Andrew Taylor

However he said the latest economic survey suggested there was a stronger outlook for levels of investment and, over time, capex will align with that. "Businesses are grasping the nettle and saying, 'We have got to do this anyway.'

He urged businesses to take part in the Chamber skills survey at https://www.wnychamber.co.uk/local-skills-improvement-plan/.

There will be further coverage of the roundtable debate in The Yorkshire Post next week.

Education system must change mindset about opportunities in manufacturing, roundtable is told