Modest growth for UK manufacturing during start of 2016
Manufacturing got off to a good start to the year, with January seeing modest improvement in the rate of growth, according to the latest PMI figures.
The rate rose to a three-month high of 52.9, up 0.8 compared to December. Lee Hopley, Chief Economist at EEF commented: “At face value, today’s data got 2016 off to an encouraging start with activity levels improving a little on the back of a pickup in new orders. The question now is whether manufacturing will regain much-need momentum or whether today’s figure will prove a false signal.”
Are you encouraged by the latest signs of growth? To find out more, head here.. http://ow.ly/Yf8Lk
Research highlights continuing STEM gender gap
According to new research from O2, a significant number of young people aged between 4 and 18 believe women are not suited to working as engineers.
When prompted to name jobs better suited to each gender, 49% said men would better suit working as engineers, while for women, the healthcare and beauty sectors were favoured. The research has put outdated stereotypes in the spotlight, proving that ambitions for future generations are still being limited.
You can find out more on the new research by heading here.. http://ow.ly/Yf8N1
Another industrial revolution?
Last week, technology took centre stage at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland, or specifically, the “fourth industrial revolution”.
Executive and chairman of the WEF, Klaus Schwab, predicts that the effect of technologies maturing quickly at the same time will have major impacts on society. Developments in robotics, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and 3D printing, just to name some, will create new capabilities and could even raise income levels and improve quality of life.
Click here.. http://ow.ly/Yf8P9 for more on the topics of discussion at this year’s meeting.