Twenty-three of the U.K.’s car and component factories have opened their doors to teachers and students alike in a renewed bid to entice young people into automotive and manufacturing engineering. At the annual summit of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Tony Walker – Toyota Motor Manufacturing U.K.’s deputy managing director – said:

“The industry today is hi-tech. There are no oily rags. There are no smoke stacks. It is an inspirational and an aspirational place to be.”

In fact, carmakers are eager to point out just how fun and lucrative engineering can be. It’s all part of the U.K. government’s push to shift its focus away from financial services after the deadly Global Financial Crisis of 2007.

Stephen Odell, chairman and chief executive of Ford of Europe is in agreement that the U.K. should concentrate more on “high-margin” manufacturing. Here’s what he told the BBC News: “We fully support the U.K. government’s goal of rebalancing its economy, putting a greater focus on low-carbon technologies, manufacturing and exports.”

Understanding that the automakers themselves need to pull their own weight, BMW, Nissan and Jaguar have collectively spent £5.7 billion on product development and factory updates. Ford, too, is doing its part as Mr. Odell points out:

“BMW, Nissan and Jaguar Land Rover have announced significant investments. At Ford, we’re investing a further £1.5bn in U.K. operations to support future low-carbon and high-value R&D [research and development] and manufacturing. This will be concentrated over the next five years.”

U.K. carmakers expressed their fears that not enough young people are getting into engineering. In the past, many school leavers had been attracted to the financial services industry and the promise of rapid advancement and high wages. However, Richard Parry Jones, who chairs the U.K. government’s Automotive Council, disagrees:

“Yes, a very small amount of people in financial services win the lottery, as it were, and land huge rewards for their work.”

But he’s quick to point out that the average salary for engineers in the manufacturing sector can be double what graduates earn in the financial services industry. It’s one of the reasons car and component factories are so eager to dispel the myths about working in the auto industry.

Business Secretary Vince Cable, who will be touring the Mini factory outside of Oxford, is willing to lend his full support:

“Together with industry we must inspire more young people to see manufacturing and engineering as a viable and exciting career choice. We’ll need to work with our young people. It’s about inspiration and education.”

And really, isn’t that what education is all about?

By Tristan Hankins