Regional investment creates opportunities for UK businesses, but sustainable growth depends on having the right technology skills. As Suffolk develops its advanced manufacturing and engineering sector, employers face an important question: can their workforce support the next stage of business growth?
New investment, new opportunities
West Suffolk Council has appointed Hethel Innovation as the delivery partner for its new £17 million Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Centre in Bury St Edmunds. The facility is expected to open in spring 2027 and will provide 17 flexible workshop units, alongside meeting and conference facilities.
The centre aims to support business growth, collaboration and innovation across the region’s advanced manufacturing and engineering sector. It forms part of wider efforts to strengthen the local economy and help businesses develop new products and commercial opportunities.
However, expanding a business involves more than securing premises and investment. As companies introduce new equipment, systems and production processes, they may also need additional expertise in software, automation, data, IT infrastructure and cyber security.
Technology skills for business growth
Technology is becoming increasingly important across manufacturing and engineering. Connected equipment, automated processes, digital systems and data-driven operations all require people who can implement, manage and maintain them.
A manufacturer expanding its production capabilities, for example, may need automation engineers, software developers, systems specialists or data professionals. As operations become more complex, additional IT support, cyber security expertise and technology management may also become necessary.
These requirements are not limited to large organisations. Smaller businesses face similar challenges as they introduce new systems, take on more customers or enter new markets. Their existing teams may have been sufficient at an earlier stage, but continued expansion can expose gaps in technical capability.
Employers should therefore consider technology recruitment as part of their wider growth strategy, identifying the skills they need before those gaps begin affecting operations or delaying projects.
Competition for specialist talent
Finding the right people can be difficult, particularly when businesses compete with employers in other industries for similar technical skills.
Skills England’s October 2026 assessment of the digital and technologies sector highlights this overlap. Of the 30 priority occupations identified, 25 also appear in at least one other sector’s skills assessment. Software developers, IT business analysts, systems specialists and IT managers are among the occupations needed across multiple industries.
The assessment projects that approximately 488,000 workers will be needed across these priority occupations between 2025 and 2035. This includes both employment growth and the replacement of workers leaving these roles. While these figures cover the UK rather than Suffolk specifically, they illustrate the wider competition for specialist talent.
For regional businesses, this means recruitment strategies should not be restricted to candidates from the same industry. Professionals with relevant experience in adjacent sectors may have transferable skills that suit a different working environment.
Planning for future skills needs
Businesses don’t necessarily need large technology departments to support expansion. They do, however, need a clear understanding of the capabilities required and how to secure them.
Employers should start by reviewing their existing systems, planned investment and future operational requirements. This helps identify where additional expertise will be needed and whether those skills can be developed internally or require external recruitment.
Recruitment should also reflect the available talent market. Looking beyond candidates with identical industry backgrounds can broaden the search, particularly when technical experience and practical capabilities are more important than familiarity with a specific sector.
Timing is equally important. Waiting until a new system has been installed or a project is already under pressure can make specialist recruitment more difficult. Identifying requirements early gives employers more time to find suitable candidates and plan how new employees will work alongside existing teams.
For smaller organisations, this may mean prioritising the most critical appointments and considering how permanent employees, contractors and external specialists can support different stages of growth.
Finding the people behind regional growth
Investment can provide businesses with the facilities and opportunities to expand, but turning that potential into commercial results depends on having the right people.
As Suffolk’s advanced manufacturing and engineering sector develops, employers will need to consider how technology skills fit into their workforce plans. The same challenge applies to businesses across the UK investing in new systems, products and processes.
Bristow Holland helps organisations recruit specialist technology professionals across software, data, IT infrastructure, automation and cyber security. By understanding future capability requirements and the wider talent market, employers can build teams equipped to support their next stage of growth.
Contact Andy Bristow.
