We were pleased to welcome  Dr Steve Aiken MLA, Chair of the Northern Ireland Assembly All Party Group on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), alongside Robin Swann MP and representatives from Ballyclare High School including Principal, Dr Michelle Rainey, Head of Careers Stephanie Buchanan and pupils Jude Semple and Sam Hamilton to AMIC’s (Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre) new Factory of the Future site, reinforcing the centre’s strategic commitment to school’s engagement and the future STEM talent pipeline.  

The visit supports a key priority within AMIC’s Learning, Skills and Workforce Strategy - using AMIC’s world class facilities, expertise and partnerships to inspire young people, strengthen awareness of advanced manufacturing careers, and influence the future skills pipeline for Northern Ireland. 

The visit began with a roundtable discussion on school engagement, hosted by Dr Steve Aiken MLA, ahead of a tour of the facility. The roundtable brought together education and skills stakeholders to explore how AMIC can work collaboratively with schools to support careers education, curriculum relevance and progression pathways into high-value manufacturing. 

Hearing directly from pupils provided valuable insights into how young people perceive STEM careers, the experiences that most influence subject choices, and how industry can better support teachers and careers professionals - aligning with AMIC’s commitment to listen, respond and influence, as set out in its Skills Strategy. 

Jennifer Cruickshank, Group Social Value Manager at Henry Brothers joined the roundtable discussion and shared insight into the company’s regional schools engagement activity to date, including school and site visits, work placements and employability initiatives. She highlighted the importance of embedding social value within major capital projects to create lasting benefits for local communities.  Henry Brothers and Queen’s University Belfast (overall and specifically through AMIC) have worked closely from the outset to ensure schools engagement activity transitions seamlessly as construction concludes and AMIC staff move in to occupy the facility - a collaborative and relatively unique approach that makes engagement simpler, clearer and more accessible for schools and stakeholders alike. 

Jenny McAuley, Skills Lead at AMIC, emphasised the value of the partnerships and asked the group to imagine having the future of advanced manufacturing right on your doorstep, which led to an introduction to AMIC’s Factory of the Future opening at Global Point in Newtownabbey this year, emphasising that AMIC is more than just a building - it is the key to an exciting future for advanced manufacturing in Northern Ireland serving as a gateway to innovation, technology, and opportunity. Schools engagement is a core priority within AMIC’s Learning, Skills and Workforce Strategy. Jenny highlighted early engagement activity already underway, including tours and outreach, and set out ambitions to develop a structured, inclusive and collaborative approach to schools engagement as the Factory of the Future becomes operational. 

A wide-ranging discussion followed, exploring how AMIC, industry and schools can work together to: 

• Showcase advanced manufacturing and engineering as exciting and sustainable career pathways 

• Strengthen links between classroom learning and real-world industrial application 

• Support teachers and careers teams with up-to-date industry insight 

• Contribute to a more inclusive and diverse future workforce. 

The discussion will directly inform AMIC’s schools engagement plan. As part of this work, AMIC has launched a schools engagement survey, gathering feedback from a wide range of schools in the area to help shape future activity, complement the wider skills ecosystem and maximise impact.  A concluding reflection was the value of providing the next generation with the opportunity to be world-leading in their careers without having to leave Northern Ireland which is exactly what AMIC and other Belfast Region City Deal Innovation Centres can help make happen.

Following the roundtable, the group toured the Factory of the Future, seeing firsthand the advanced manufacturing, digital and sustainability focused work that will take place within the facility, and the opportunity it represents for the local economy, education sector and future workforce. 

AMIC is being delivered by Queen’s University Belfast, in partnership with industry, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and Ulster University, with support from the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive through the Belfast Region City Deal. 

Through its commitment to learning, workforce and skills development - from schools engagement through to upskilling and leadership development - AMIC is supporting economic growth and prosperity for Northern Ireland by creating high quality jobs, driving innovation clusters and ensuring the region can compete globally with a strong and sustainable manufacturing base.