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In this episode, we explore practical leadership that prioritises speed of decision-making, honest risk, and shared accountability - while empowering true experts to lead within their domain. 

Graham dives into how dual career tracks, early STEM exposure, and well-defined business processes shape stronger teams and deliver better outcomes. We also discuss the importance of development over ego, diversity in STEM, and why manufacturing still faces a marketing gap despite the North East’s significant strengths.

Key talking points:
• Defining leadership through accountability, rational risk, and swift decisions
• Lessons from structured development at Rolls-Royce
• Creating parity between technical expert and management career tracks
• Building teams around strengths and hiring for gaps

Graham also shares insights on flipping the organisational chart to promote empowerment, running voice-rich meetings that create collective accountability, and the five fundamental business processes every company should understand. 

We dig into how legacy processes should be challenged with better “why” and “how” questions, and we finish by exploring Quanta EPC’s focus on waste-to-energy, process, and renewable projects.

Please like or subscribe - it genuinely helps grow the show and, in turn, helps push the industry forward.

If you’d like more information about Theo James, as mentioned during the episode, feel free to get in touch with me or the team anytime.

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298

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Big news for our community: we’re taking the energy from 100+ conversations and turning it into the Manufacturing Leaders Summit, a purpose-driven day dedicated to real progress in UK manufacturing. On 30 April 2026, we’re gathering at New College Durham to bring together operators, founders, engineers, HR leaders and educators who want solutions that work in the real world.

We’re building a programme that blends high-signal talks and hands-on workshops led by speakers with TEDx experience and past guests you’ve loved.

This summit is not-for-profit. Every £15 ticket will support Red Sky Foundation, funding heart care and equipment in communities that need it most—a cause that’s deeply personal to us. 

We’re aiming for around 200 attendees to keep conversations meaningful and momentum high. If you’ve been part of our journey—listening, sharing, or joining us on the mic—this is your invitation to step into the room and shape what happens next. Grab a ticket, bring a colleague, and tell us the questions you want on the panels. Subscribe, share this with your team, and leave a review to help more leaders find the show. We can’t wait to see you there.

Follow us on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theo-james-recruitment/?viewAsMember=true

Get your hands on the tickets first by emailing [email protected]

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298

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In this episode, we share how the 4-day working week went from idea to reality across multiple manufacturing sites. You’ll hear how we trialled the shift with people-first thinking, data-driven decisions, and flexibility at the heart of the process.

We cover union conversations, contract changes, phased rollouts, and how we managed customer expectations and key performance indicators. Learn how we tackled fairness across roles and shifts, used overtime wisely, and what we would do differently if starting again.

If you want to understand how a 4-day week can work in complex operational environments, this episode is for you.

In this episode you will learn:

•  How to design trials while keeping flexibility central
•  Which KPIs matter most for success
•  Balancing customer needs with shift fairness
•  Lessons learned and what we would change

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298

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In this episode, Paul Stockhill, Managing Director of Agemaspark, shares insights from his 55-year career in UK manufacturing. A passionate advocate for apprenticeships, Paul believes developing young talent is the key to solving the sector’s skills crisis and he has proven it.

Every member of Agemaspark’s senior team started as an apprentice, including those who joined him in a successful management buyout. From 3D metal printing for space stations and Mars rovers to hands-on work placements for the next generation, Paul’s story shows how innovation and people development can drive long-term business success.

In this episode you will learn:

• Why apprenticeships are central to Agemaspark’s success
• How the AMRC Training Centre’s intensive program prepares apprentices for real-world challenges
• The role of communication skills in modern manufacturing
• Why University Technical Colleges are important for closing the skills gap
• How Agemaspark’s first female engineering apprentice is shaping the future
• The importance of leaving a legacy beyond one career

With tens of thousands of engineers expected to leave the industry by 2030, Paul’s mission is clear: build businesses that last by investing in people who will carry them forward.

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298

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From administrative temp to Head of People at Expanded Metal, Jo Lloyd shares her 12-year journey of transforming leadership in manufacturing. She explains how the industry has shifted from command-and-control management to a people-first approach.

In this episode you will learn:

• Leadership is about guiding with collaboration, not ego
• Emotional intelligence drives better decisions and stronger teams
• How Expanded Metal moved from hierarchy to collaboration
• The importance of diversity and cross-training in modern manufacturing
• Why leaders should be accessible and help others succeed

Listen for a conversation that challenges traditional leadership and champions inclusivity, collaboration, and emotional intelligence.

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298

Send us a text

When a manufacturer doubles its workforce in just seven years despite industry-wide skills shortages, you know they’re doing something right. In this episode, Lorinda Lackay, Operations Director at Minicam, shares the strategies that have transformed this Salford-based wastewater inspection systems manufacturer.

In this episode you will learn:

• How Lorinda’s early passion for engineering inspired a focus on developing young talent
• Why diversity across nationalities fuels innovation, resilience, and adaptability
• How reskilling existing employees and creating new career pathways strengthens the workforce
• How collaborative spaces and open workbench layouts drive culture and lasting change
• Practical strategies for tackling recruitment challenges and futureproofing skills

Listen for insights on building a strong culture, developing talent, and driving innovation in modern manufacturing.

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298

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Dinosaur leather, lab-grown meat, and replacement corneas might sound like science fiction, but they’re happening now in Newcastle at 3D BioTissues. Adam Crosby, Director of Operations, shares how this Newcastle University spin-out is developing groundbreaking biological materials.

In this episode you will learn:

• How 3D BioTissues produces pure biological materials without scaffolding
• The creation of dinosaur leather, lab-grown meat, and lab-grown corneas
• How servant leadership empowers the team and encourages innovation at every level
• Challenges for the Northeast in keeping scientific talent local and securing funding
• How 3D BioTissues is shaping the future of science, fashion, and medical treatments

Listen for insights on leadership, innovation, and how the Northeast is becoming a hub for cutting-edge science and manufacturing.

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298

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Razan Alsous shares her journey from fleeing conflict in Syria to founding Yorkshire Dama Cheese, now one of the UK’s most celebrated artisan cheese brands.

In this episode you will learn:

• How Razan started the business with just £2,500 and repurposed equipment
• How she identified a gap in the market for fresh, locally made halloumi
• How Yorkshire Dama has won over 65 awards, including at the World Cheese Awards
• How the brand supplies Michelin-starred restaurants and top farm shops
• How Razan balanced business growth with studying food technology to strengthen the company

Listen for an inspiring story of grit, vision, and building something truly special against all odds.

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298

Send us a text

Declan Middleton, Engineering Manager at Perry Process Equipment, shares his journey from reluctant work experience student to respected leader and details how one summer placement changed his career trajectory forever.

In this episode:

• 🎮 Declan wanted to be a journalist, until his dad made him try engineering work experience instead.

• 👷‍♂️ From apprentice to Engineering Manager, now leading and mentoring his own team.

• 🚀 Encouraging young engineers to take risks, fail fast, and grow through real-world learning.

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298

Send us a text

Matthew Pemrick, Managing Director of Cicor, shares his journey from apprentice to business leader and how endurance sports like Ironman have shaped his approach to resilient leadership.

In this episode you will learn:

• How Matthew progressed from factory apprentice to MD and the lessons he learned along the way
• How endurance sports shaped his mental toughness and business resilience
• How to build inclusive teams by hiring the best, not by quotas
• How a people-first culture of visibility, empathy, and connection drives performance
• How purpose-driven action supports apprenticeships, communities, and continuous improvement

Listen for insights on resilient leadership, building inclusive teams, and creating a culture that empowers people to thrive.

Please subscribe to the channel for more content! Theo James are a Manufacturing & Engineering Recruiter based in the North East, helping Manufacturing and Engineering firms grow across the UK. Please call us on 0191 5111 298