The new Manufacturing Partners program aims to improve teachers' understanding of manufacturing{{U}} (31) {{/U}}inviting 2,000 teachers to take part{{U}} (32) {{/U}}factory visit. It will not be just one-way traffic, however; about 500 manufacturing employees are also invited to visit schools each year to improve their awareness of modern schools.

Peter Davies, Program Director, believes employers will also see the benefits. "It's an excellent means of improving professional development{{U}} (33) {{/U}}helping to improve management and communication skills," Davies says.

{{U}}(34) {{/U}}now, manufacturing firms have been slow to send staff into schools and teachers haven't been very keen to visit factories, either. According to Davies, most would rather visit a bank{{U}} (35) {{/U}}retail company instead.

Headteacher Andrew Morris recently spent three days at KTM, an engineering firm. Afterwards he admitted his view{{U}} (36) {{/U}}industry had been out-of-date: "I thought it would be a dirty place to work, {{U}}(37) {{/U}}conditions have obviously improved a lot nowadays." KTM Director John Dimmock said that{{U}} (38) {{/U}}a doubt his staff had benefited{{U}} (39) {{/U}}explaining{{U}} (40) {{/U}}jobs to teachers and pupils.