Employment levels in the manufacturing sector in Wales are amongst the most resilient in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ, according to new research from the GMB union.
In 2010 the sector employed 137,100 and last year had fallen marginally by 0.4% to 136,500 - a decline of 600 roles. In terms of overall employment and contribution to GDP, manufacturing in Wales has a much higher impact than for the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ as a whole.
Over the same period the GMB said manufacturing jobs across the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ declined by 6.7% from 2.88m to 2.68m - a decline of 192,000.
The biggest fall was experienced in Scotland with a 15.7% dip from 199,000 to 167,000 - a loss of 31,300 jobs. In Northern it declined 14.6% (down 12,900) from 88,500 to 75,600.
Not all parts of the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ experienced decline with the West Midlands adding 25,500 jobs, representing an 8% increase from 320,700 to 346,200. London was also up 3.7% having seen number increase 5,300 to 142,300.
Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, GMB national officer, said: “The loss of almost 200,000 jobs is devastating for those workers – and their wider communities.
“Every job lost means a household income more stretched. In the worst cost of living crisis for a generation we need more decent, skilled jobs – not to shed them at this rate.
“Ministers must address this urgently or there could be worse to come.
Most Read
“The global green jobs race could revolutionise º£½ÇÊÓÆµ manufacturing – creating tens of thousands of jobs in fabrication for new wind, solar and nuclear.
“But this government (º£½ÇÊÓÆµ) seems happy to let them all disappear overseas.”
Manufacturing employment – 2010 to 2022
Nation/Region |
2010 |
2022 |
Change (n) |
Change (%) |
United Kingdom |
2,882,100 |
2,689,600 |
-192,500 |
-6.7 |
North East |
126,100 |
123,000 |
-3,100 |
-2.5 |
North West |
363,200 |
320,600 |
-42,600 |
-11.7 |
Yorkshire and The Humber |
286,400 |
272,000 |
-14,400 |
-5.0 |
East Midlands |
317,300 |
278,200 |
-39,100 |
-12.3 |
West Midlands |
320,700 |
346,200 |
25,500 |
8.0 |
East |
286,400 |
246,300 |
-40,100 |
-14.0 |
London |
142,300 |
147,500 |
5,200 |
3.7 |
South East |
338,500 |
327,000 |
-11,500 |
-3.4 |
South West |
276,700 |
249,200 |
-27,500 |
-9.9 |
Wales |
137,100 |
136,500 |
-600 |
-0.4 |
Scotland |
199,000 |
167,700 |
-31,300 |
-15.7 |
Northern Ireland |
88,500 |
75,600 |
-12,900 |
-14.6 |
Read More:
South Wales and West of England could create 40,000 hydrogen related jobs