46 n SM&EW PREVIEW May 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com week. This network of senior manufacturers is now more than a decade old with members, drawn from across the industrial spectrum, sharing knowledge by attending targeted events and roundtable discussions. A major focus for Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week is people (both young and older) and skills. The STEM programme includes support for the IMechE Apprentice Automation Challenge as well as its Formula Student Programme. Taking place in Hall 5, as part of Drives & Controls, is the Fanuc Industrial Robots Quali ers which will see teams of two 16–20-year-olds competing in dynamic challenges that will test their ability to gather and apply information, work eectively in teams, follow instructions, and create robot programs. Visitors can also experience the excitement for themselves with an interactive Fanuc robot “try it yourself” session. Also focused on people is the “Oscars” of the manufacturing sector – The Manufacturer Top 100. Held on the evening of 5 June, the programme provides a platform and a showcase to celebrate the best of UK manufacturing – not big businesses and household company names – but the inspiring people who make the industry tick. The Manufacturer Top 100 scours the length and breadth of the nation to nd the 100 most dynamic leaders and innovators in manufacturing, nominated by the industrial community and judged by a panel of industry leaders, academics and manufacturing associations. On the key issue of skills (and also taking place on 5 June) is The Enginuity Skills Awards organised by Enginuity, the charity dedicated to supporting UK engineering and manufacturing employers by nding new ways to close skills gaps and open opportunities. The awards recognise apprentices, pioneers of skills development, and innovative engineers who are passionately and diligently tackling some of society's biggest challenges. Each year, leaders from the engineering and manufacturing industry across the UK gather at the Skills Awards to celebrate the nest talent and commend the organisations dedicated to advancing skills development to ensure a bright future for these vital sectors of the UK economy. This year’s landmark tenth anniversary of the awards is no dierent, making SMEW an ideal backdrop for the celebration. The Skills Awards oers a variety of categories catering to areas ranging from Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion, to distinctions such as the Large and SME Employer Skills Champion awards, and the Training Partner Skills Champion award. In addition, the awards encompass accolades tailored to individuals committed to enhancing their expertise in the eld, such as the T-Level Student award and multiple apprenticeship categories. Winners of both of these stand to gain a £1,000 prize, with two runners-up in each category receiving £500. Making the Right Connections A new SM&E Week arrival for 2024, taking place in Hall 5 as part of Drives & Controls, is the Connect+ Live Hosted Meetings Programme. This free-of-charge feature is tailored to enhance a visitor’s experience and networking opportunities. It’s a concierge service that transcends conventional networking methods and prioritises the needs of the visitor. The programme is being run in partnership with Newbridge Events, specialists in business matchmaking, and will enable time-pressured visitors to connect with several handpicked solution providers to ensure meaningful face-to-face meetings. Connect + Live allows the visitor to make personalised matches by aligning an exhibitor’s oering with their specic needs, and schedules meetings in advance with the right person who can answer questions and is empowered to take business forward. The Connect+ Live Hosted Meetings Programme is available only to preregistered visitors and if you are interested, you should register at https://drivescontrols-2024.reg.buzz Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week will bring together a wide variety of in¡uential organisations in the sector – from giant global businesses to SMEs, trade bodies and start-ups. A notable element of the planning for SM&E Week is the advisory council that the organiser convenes. The council includes representatives from the event’s strategic partner organisations, such as the British Manufacturing Consortium, The Centre for Compressor Technology, the iMechE, Engineering UK, Gambica, IED, BFPA, IFM University of Cambridge, The Manufacturer, and Made Smarter. These organisations collectively steer the educational element of the Week, ensuring that presenters are addressing the crucial topics that people are interested in. Most of them have exhibition stands themselves where they will be able to talk to their members or answer questions from visitors. The charity partner for SM&E Week is Engineers Without Borders UK, an organisation focused on ensuring that globally responsible engineering is taught as a principle on engineering degree courses and also used within industry. Co-located Events As mentioned at the start of the article, there is a host of related activities and attractions taking place during Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week. Central to the Week are the exhibitions, of which three are taking place in Hall 4. One is the newly invigorated Maintec, the UK’s longest-standing exhibition dedicated to the maintenance, reliability and asset management industry, which has its own education theatre. Visitors can access the major maintenance, repair and operations product and service suppliers, as well as all of the content taking place, making the event more relevant for them and bringing it to life. To ensure that visitors access the information they want, there will also be a Maintenance Safety Trail which they can follow to ensure that they see the right businesses and technologies dedicated to ensuring that maintenance is conducted safely. Also in hall 4 is Smart Factory Expo, which is designed to allow manufacturers to
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=