Manufacturing sector grows again - graduate jobs

Graduates looking for work in the manufacturing sector have been buoyed by news of growth and talk of job opportunities.

The Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) said that figures for the past six months showed that industry had now grown in six successive quarters.

On the back of the results many firms are looking to take on staff amid talk of renewed confidence, news which many recent and upcoming graduates will welcome.

The EEF pointed out the central role manufacturing firms are playing the UK's economic growth, attributing the sector's strength to export-led demand.

A survey of over 500 companies showed strong levels of recruitment and investment plans, with "solid growth" forecast throughout 2011 and into next year.

Manufacturing grew by 2.3% over the last six months while the economy as a whole stagnated, said the EEF, although the employers' group warned that previous improvements in profit margins had gone into reverse in recent months.

EEF chief economist Ms Lee Hopley said: "Recent data appears to indicate that manufacturing may be heading for more turbulent times.

"However, cutting through some of the noise from temporary factors over the past few months, our survey continues to show underlying strength in output and orders.

"Providing buoyant demand from overseas markets holds firm, we should see growth maintained through the rest of the year."

Tom Lawton, of BDO LLP, which helped with the research, said: "On the back of healthy output and order books, the intention to recruit among manufacturers has remained strong, with official data showing record levels of vacancies."

Copyright Press Association 2011