From the Classroom to the Shop Floor
10th Jul 2025
Janine Marshall Head of Business Development at RTC North shares how they are helping businesses across the North compete with confidence, today and for the future.
At RTC North, we believe competitiveness isn’t just about price or productivity; it’s about people, purpose, and long-term resilience.
That belief has shaped everything we’ve done this year, from helping manufacturers embrace smart technologies to building future skills in classrooms. Through initiatives like Made Smarter, we’ve supported over 130 manufacturers to boost productivity, reduce waste, and strengthen their resilience, not just through tech, but by investing in leadership and long-term thinking.
West Yorkshire’s manufacturing sector came together in force for Advancing Manufacturing Futures 2025, an event that showcased the region’s strengths, sparked new ideas, and connected industry leaders with exciting opportunities.
We’ve also worked side by side with SMEs to demystify procurement, offering hands-on support that’s helped businesses like Poly UP secure game-changing contracts. Sometimes it’s the small wins, clearer tender strategies, sharper focus, and fresh confidence that make the biggest difference.
And because staying competitive means thinking ahead, we’ve been proud to engage more than 9,000 students through our STEM Hub and welcome over 800 new Ambassadors who are inspiring the region’s future engineers, coders, and innovators.
Our commitment to STEM is more than just numbers – it's about creating opportunities, bridging skills gaps, and building a future-ready workforce. With industries evolving at an unprecedented pace, young people must be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to step into STEM careers.
Our annual review showcases these stories and more, from supply chains to smart factories, from young learners to business leaders. If you want a glimpse of how we’re helping the North compete with clarity, ambition and confidence, take a look.
Read the Annual Review here.