Made Smarter relaunches digital internship programme to support Liverpool's SME manufacturers

MADE Smarter has relaunched its highly successful Digital Technology Internship programme to help Liverpool manufacturers tackle the growing digital skills gap and accelerate innovation.

The UK Government funded scheme connects digitally capable students and recent graduates with SME manufacturers to work on real world technology adoption projects.

The reboot follows the overwhelming success of the 1st phase (2019 to 2022), where nearly half of interns secured permanent jobs.

UK manufacturers are facing unprecedented workforce pressures, with 92% expecting skills gaps and over 52,000 job vacancies in the sector. The cost of inaction is mounting with an estimated �7.7 billion a year in lost productivity. These challenges are compounded by reduced immigration, an ageing workforce, and underperforming training pipelines.

To explore these challenges in more depth and share insight on how the internship programme is addressing them, Made Smarter has published a new white paper: Digital Internships: How Made Smarter helps SME manufacturers tap into tech talent. The free guide offers a deep dive into the digital skills shortage in UK manufacturing, how the programme works, and the real world impact it's having on both businesses and students.

Made Smarter's Digital Internship programme helps manufacturers address immediate resource needs and long-term skills development, while offering students career-defining experience.

Interns; ranging from 2nd year undergraduates to postgraduates and recent graduates in fields like data science, robotics, digital design, and engineering; are matched with manufacturers undertaking live digital projects. These may include helping to develop digital roadmaps, or implementing software or hardware solutions.

Internships are flexible (part-time or full-time), paid, and come with support from Made Smarter's expert advisers.

For SME manufacturers, Made Smarter's digital internship programme offers immediate, practical support from digitally skilled interns who bring fresh thinking, cutting-edge tools, and the latest technologies into the business. It provides a low-risk way to trial digital solutions, while helping companies build future talent pipelines, strengthen sustainability and inclusion efforts, and forge valuable partnerships with universities and research institutions.

For students and graduates, internships offer hands on experience and real world application of:- academic skills, professional development, enhanced employability, networking opportunities, and a clearer path into a career.

Among the manufacturers to benefit from the internship programme is CNC Robotics, a leading robotics integrator based in Liverpool. The company was matched with Max Barnett, who at the time was studying a postgraduate degree in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Liverpool. Max played a key role in a project to adopt a new CRM system, and his performance led to a permanent role with the company. 3 years on, he has progressed through multiple positions spanning software development, marketing, and sales; representing CNC Robotics at major trade shows both in the UK and overseas.

Reflecting on his journey, Max said:- "The internship was a pivotal stepping stone in my career. It gave me the chance to apply my technical skills in a real world setting, but just as importantly, it opened doors to a broader professional network through trade shows, industry events, and collaborations with clients and partners. I was trusted with responsibility from day one, and the experience gave me the confidence to grow, take on new challenges, and make a real contribution to a company at the cutting edge of robotic automation in manufacturing."

Donna Edwards, Programme Director for Made Smarter, added:- "It's been incredibly rewarding to see the impact our Digital Internship Programme has had; bringing fresh energy, ideas, and digital know how into manufacturing businesses across the North West. Phase 1 showed just how powerful this model can be, not only helping manufacturers embrace new technologies and improve productivity, but also giving students and graduates that all; important 1st step into the industry. With national funding now in place, phase two is set to go even further; offering more opportunities for businesses to access fully funded support, and for young people to gain meaningful, paid experience that can kickstart their careers. This is about building confidence on both sides; giving manufacturers the skills to take digital forward, and developing the next generation of talent to drive the future of UK manufacturing."

Since its inception in 2019, Made Smarter has supported over 2,500 manufacturers in the North West, providing access to expert digital advice, technology adoption roadmaps, and workforce development opportunities.

To find out more about digital internship opportunities visit:- MadeSmarter.UK.

Download the new white paper:- Digital Internships: How Made Smarter helps SME manufacturers tap into tech talent, by clicking here.

Liverpool moves forward on food waste collection

A new report seeking approval for new food waste collection vehicles will be presented to members at tonight's Cabinet meeting.

In preparation for the mandatory collection of food waste which is planned to start in April 2026, Liverpool City Council is also looking to introduce a new fleet of eco-friendly vehicles into the city.

Working in partnership with other local authorities in the city region and the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, the Council has sourced 20 vehicles that run on hydrogenated vegetable oil, meaning they produce 98% less CO2 than their diesel counterparts.

These vehicles will provide the additional capacity needed to run the new, free weekly food collection across all 200,000+ households in the City.

The Council has secured over �9m in funding from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to implement food waste collection changes, �4.47m of which will be used to purchase the new vehicles.

Of the 135,000 tonnes of waste sent for incineration from Liverpool each year, approximately one third is considered food waste. With each tonne of purple bin waste costing �65 more than a tonne of blue waste, removing food waste could save a significant amount of money.

By introducing a new food waste collection, the Council will join the national push to increase the number of materials that can be recycled and reduce carbon emissions across the country.

Each household will be provided with two new food waste bins, or caddies; a smaller 1 for inside the property and a larger bin to sit alongside the current:- purple, blue, and green bins. Cabinet will also be asked to approve the procurement of these caddies at next week's meeting.

To ensure a long life span, all potential caddies were tested for robustness and durability before a winning bid was selected to be presented to members.

Once the changes are in effect, this waste will be taken away to be broken down via anaerobic digestion. This process uses microorganisms to break down the food, releasing methane as they do. This gas is then collected and used to generate electricity, heat, or transport fuels.

It means that the upcoming changes could greatly reduce the City's carbon emissions while also putting these gases to good use.

In the meantime, food waste can be composted at home to create nutrient rich fertiliser for the garden.

Currently, there is no infrastructure in place within the City Region to process food waste, meaning it will need to be sent to a suitable facility elsewhere. To mitigate this, and to further improve the City's CO2 emissions, Cabinet will also be asked to explore opportunities to open a new waste treatment system nearby.

Research has found that the Region will require a plant capable of processing 80,000 tonnes of food at a time. If a facility is opened in the area, it will create new, green jobs for residents and allow the collected biogas to be used locally.

If approved, further research will be carried out to find the most suitable location for the plant.

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene said:- "We've made clear in our Recycling and Waste Strategy that we are committed to improving recycling rates across the city. A huge amount of the rubbish that goes in our purple bins will soon be able to be recycled kerbside, making it even easier for residents to have a positive impact on the environment and find a new lease of life for our waste. Our teams are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that the move to food waste collections in the near future is as smooth and efficient as possible."

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Made Smarter relaunches digital internship programme to support Liverpool's SME manufacturers

Liverpool moves forward on food waste collection