27.05.2026 

As Make UK marks 130 years of championing British manufacturing, this anniversary is a chance to reflect on the sector’s history and look ahead to the next generation of innovators, engineers and makers who will shape its future. 

To celebrate the milestone, we welcomed 20 pupils and their teachers from Whoberley School in Coventry to the Make UK Technology Hub for a special Mini Makers experience designed to spark creativity, curiosity and big ideas about the future of manufacturing.

Throughout the day, pupils explored the Technology Hub, took part in a hands-on robot building workshop and shared their own visions for what manufacturing could look like over the next 130 years. From bricks made of cake to cars built from diamonds and volcanic rock, their ideas were imaginative and often brilliantly unexpected. 

There were also more practical suggestions, including plastic and litter-eating machines, robots that could help cook for large families, and electric cars that could generate energy. Many of the children’s ideas centred on creating a cleaner, more sustainable world, showing just how strongly environmental thinking is already shaping the next generation’s view of manufacturing. 

Many of these ideas echo real trends already transforming the sector today, from automation and robotics to advanced materials and sustainable production. Technologies that once seemed out of reach are now part of everyday manufacturing life, showing just how quickly innovation can move. 

The visit also highlighted the importance of engaging young people with STEM and manufacturing from an early age. Experiences like this help children see manufacturing as a creative, innovative and exciting industry where they can shape the future. 

As part of the day, each of the Mini Makers received a certificate to recognise their participation, a small but meaningful reminder that their ideas and creativity matter. 

130 years ago, many of today’s manufacturing technologies would have seemed unimaginable. Looking ahead to the next century, the ideas shared by these young Mini Makers are a reminder that the future of manufacturing will be shaped by creativity, curiosity and the confidence to imagine something new.