Black Country training provider, In-Comm Training has been chosen to help deliver a suite of interactive online training resources for the UK aerospace sector.
In-Comm Training, which operates two academies in Aldridge and Shrewsbury, is part of the £320,000 EU-funded Erasmus+ AEERO (Aerospace Engineering ECVET Resources Online) project that will develop a suite of interactive online training resources.
The University of Wolverhampton secured the money for the collaboration and the University’s Faculty of Arts is now working with the company, a number of local manufacturers and partner organisations in Portugal and Italy.
It is anticipated that the project will provide bespoke training skills and personal development opportunities to meet future demand for what is expected to be unparalleled growth in the aerospace sector.
Managing director at In-Comm Training, Gareth Jones explained: “There has been a 30% productivity growth in the aerospace sector in the last five years, but there is still a lack of vocational training on offer to ensure that skills are relevant and up to date.
“The creation of a suite of online training resources, which will feature input from industry leaders, will support the vocational skills required by engineers across the EU aerospace industry, from supply chain development through to preventative and breakdown maintenance.”
He continued: “With a £31bn turnover, the UK has the largest aerospace sector in Europe and second only to the US in the world. It’s our job to make sure we listen to firms from this industry and develop innovative new learning methods that give them the skills they need now and in the future. AEERO has an important role to play in this.”
Dean of the School of Art at the University of Wolverhampton, Sam Hope commented: “We will be working closely with partners to develop a shared, digital learning platform which is designed to meet user needs and will be made up of easily accessible, media-rich learning materials and resources.
“The learning resource will be available in English, Italian and Portuguese – three key languages in the global aerospace industry.”
Involvement in the Erasmus+ project marks an exciting six months for In-Comm Training, which has invested heavily in its Aldridge academy and been named as one of the partners in the Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology (MCMT) – due to open in Bridgnorth in mid-2017.
The company has also strengthened its partnership with Salop Design & Engineering, with a joint investment of £200,000 into facilities at the Shrewsbury academy, creating 40 new apprenticeship places in the process.
It is part of a strategic commitment to work with key organisations in manufacturing’s different sectors to deliver a bespoke approach to their skills requirements.
