Yorkshire businesses set to benefit with job creation via £1.5m funding

Businesses across Yorkshire and Humber are set to benefit from £1.5m funding towards industrial digitalisation, for the Made Smarter programme.

The programme is designed to improve digital adoption amongst SMEs in Yorkshire and Humber and includes advice and support delivered through growth hubs in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Hull and East Yorkshire, North East Lincolnshire, York, and North Yorkshire.

Through the programme, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority expects to be able to fund and support around 500 Yorkshire and Humber manufacturers, plus providing digital road mapping sessions and further support to several other businesses.

This includes giving them access to advice and funding to invest in technology. The programme also aims to create 20 digital internships and 50 places on leadership development programmes.

Made Smarter was created following an industry-led review of how UK manufacturing industries can prosper through digital tools and innovation.

This independent review stated that over a 10-year period, industrial digitalisation could boost UK manufacturing by £455bn; boost productivity by up to 30 per cent; and create a net gain of 175,000 jobs whilst reducing CO2 emissions by 4.5 per cent.

South Yorkshire mayor Dan Jarvis explains: “The Made Smarter programme will help regional manufacturers to embrace digital adoption, with a view to increasing efficiency and productivity as part of gaining a competitive advantage, growing and enhancing their long-term future.”

James Muir, chair of the South Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership said: “Digitalisation isn’t about purchasing multi-million pound software systems, it’s about integrating digital tools into existing design and manufacturing processes and equipment and within supply chains to make a much quicker, more effective and seamless system.”

“Digitalisation is essential to help SMEs in the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector to become more efficient and productive to enable them to compete in the long term on a global basis.”

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