Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing are integrating AI, automation, and digital twins into their operations by collaborating with students and graduates through the Made Smarter Digital Internship Programme.
This initiative offers paid internship placements as a quick and low-risk avenue for businesses to experiment with and adopt innovative technologies, modernize their processes, and enhance their confidence in digital transformation. Simultaneously, interns gain valuable, practical experience in real manufacturing settings.
As National Apprenticeship Week draws attention to skill development and early careers, this government-backed program illustrates how flexible, project-based internships can help businesses access specialized expertise and explore technologies they might otherwise lack the resources to pursue.
In the past year, the latest cohort of 18 interns from Made Smarter North West has engaged hands-on in factory environments and engineering teams, tackling real production challenges with a variety of digital technologies. These technologies include robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, CNC, CAD-to-CNC workflows, virtual reality, digital twins, system integration, and overall workflow digitization.
While the program emphasizes skill development and technology adoption, preliminary results show promising employment outcomes, with two interns already receiving permanent job offers as companies aim to retain critical digital skills and momentum.
Donna Edwards, Programme Director for Made Smarter North West, remarked, “These digital internships are providing manufacturers with the practical digital skills and fresh perspectives they need. Interns benefit from paid, hands-on experience on real industrial projects, serving as a direct gateway to employment.”
“As National Apprenticeship Week emphasizes the need to nurture future talent, our digital internships showcase how such flexible, paid placements can significantly contribute to the manufacturing skills pipeline,” she added.
Throughout the program, interns have assisted manufacturers in trialing robotic welding, integrating AI into product design, enhancing CNC process control, digitizing legacy workflows, creating virtual factory models, and investigating system integration initiatives that facilitate future automation. Many placements have allowed businesses to experiment with technologies that would have otherwise been unattainable.
Heyside Plastics, located in Oldham, has hired Enoch Adediran, a robotics and automation student from the University of Salford, after he successfully analyzed how automation and other technologies could enhance their operations.
Garreth Brown, Business Executive at Heyside Plastics, stated: “Bringing Enoch on board has filled a critical skills gap for our business and expedited our digital transformation plans. His contributions have been remarkable, and the value he has provided in such a short timeframe is tremendous.”
Enoch, 28, shared, “The internship gave me practical experience in plastics manufacturing and demonstrated how automation can be integrated into a live production environment. It has allowed me to further develop my skills in 3D modeling and network architecture while also offering insights into how digital technologies can enhance manufacturing processes.”
Other successful partnerships include Ritherdon & Co in Darwen collaborating with Sahil Hathi, an electrical engineering student from Newcastle University, to investigate robotic welding and automation, and D Squared Product Development in Liverpool, which worked with Anoushka Phillips, a product design student at Nottingham Trent University, to implement AI tools in the product design process.
Daniel Isler, Technical Director at D Squared Product Development, noted, “Participating in this program has allowed us to dedicate resources to exploring and incorporating various AI tools that would have been unthinkable otherwise.”
Anoushka, 22, commented, “The internship enabled me to apply my university education in a business context and understand the balance between creativity and feasibility in real projects.”
In Cumbria, Ratio Technology teamed up with Jonah Monks, a mechanical engineering student from the University of Sheffield, to apply VR, digital twins, and tools for CNC machining and manufacturing improvements. Meanwhile, Fleming Howland in Hapton collaborated with Kian Tavakoli, a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University, to digitize designs for furniture and upholstery cutting patterns for CNC production.
Paul Fleming, Managing Director of Fleming Howland, remarked, “Kian has been a real game-changer. His digital skills have accelerated a complex CAD-to-CNC workflow that would have necessitated outsourcing. Beyond the technical achievements, his involvement has sparked broader discussions about evolving traditional furniture-making techniques using smart manufacturing tools. It has been an enriching experience for all parties involved.”
Kian, 22, added, “The internship fostered my technical and professional growth while demonstrating that digital transformation is most effective when undertaken collaboratively.”
Additionally, Innovative Outdoor Products in Nelson worked with Milanka Manathunga, an engineering student from Lancaster University, to digitize production patterns and enhance manufacturing efficiency. Burnley-based TheWorkwear Ltd partnered with Ibrahim Syed Shah, a graphic design student from the University of Lancashire, to optimize digital design, branding, and production workflows.
Sana Fatima, 24, a Master of Business Administration student at the University of Lancashire, collaborated with a Lancashire rubber manufacturer on a system integration project. “This has been an invaluable opportunity to apply my academic learnings to a real-world business challenge,” she stated.
In Stockport, Arden Dies partnered with Deniz Beyazgul, a data science student from Manchester Metropolitan University, and Husan Vokhidov, a robotics and automation student from the University of Salford, to investigate practical applications of AI and automation within their operations.
Since its launch in 2019, the Made Smarter initiative has assisted over 2,500 manufacturers across the North West, offering access to expert digital advice, technology adoption strategies, skill development opportunities, and funding for technology projects.
To learn more about the Digital Internship Programme and view the latest white paper, visit:
madesmarter.uk/adoption/internship-programme
