Spotlight on people of UK mfg: Angela Lawlor – from shop floor insight to sector-wide impact

Born and bred in Birmingham, Angela Lawlor grew up on a close-knit estate where everyone knew each other and childhood was, in her own words, “just lovely”. It was a happy, grounded start but, like many of her generation, career direction was less clear. Leaving school at a time when options felt limited, Angela was steered into office work, beginning a journey of temping roles across a variety of industries.

Those early experiences, while unplanned, proved invaluable. Moving between businesses gave Angela a broad understanding of how organisations operate, alongside occasional glimpses into manufacturing environments that would later take on new meaning.

After more than a decade in insurance, she made a bold decision to step away and return to temping. That move opened the door to an opportunity at Jaguar Land Rover. What began as a short-term role quickly evolved, taking her from employee engagement into HR and then back into insurance within a global automotive business.

It was in asset and cost management, however, that Angela found her stride. Working on new production line builds brought her closer to the realities of manufacturing, from its pace and scale to its complexity. It also revealed opportunities for change.

Recognising that valuable equipment was often discarded at the end of production cycles, Angela helped establish an asset reuse approach. By cataloguing and redeploying machinery across the business, the initiative delivered significant cost savings and demonstrated her ability to challenge established ways of working.

“I absolutely loved it,” she states, a clear turning point in a career that had previously evolved by chance.

When the pandemic brought her time at JLR to an abrupt end, Angela was faced with uncertainty. Rather than stepping back, she reconnected with industry and quickly identified a wider issue. Manufacturers were struggling to attract young people, while schools lacked awareness of the opportunities available.

Through Marvelous Manufacturing, she began addressing that gap, helping businesses build meaningful relationships with local schools while removing the barriers that often prevent engagement.

Inspired by similar initiatives in other regions, Angela then launched the first Midlands Manufacturing Festival in February 2026. Designed as an interactive, hands-on experience, the event brought manufacturing to life for the next generation. Welcoming more than 700 students and over 30 exhibitors, the festival marked a defining moment.

From a Birmingham upbringing to leading sector-wide change. And with UK Manufacturing Festivals now incorporated, Angela reassures says this is just the beginning.