The brand new manufacturing training centre sets out to create a new generation of engineers and narrow the UK’s manufacturing skills-gap.
The MTC’s Lloyds Bank Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC), located on the campus of the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) at Ansty Park, Coventry, will be formally opened today by the Business Secretary, Sajid Javid.
Javid commented: “This centre will play a key role in turning young people from across the Midlands into the engineering leaders of the future. We are committed to 3m high quality apprenticeships by 2020, because we know apprenticeships are good for business, young people and the British economy.”
The centre has been designed to provide premium training for the next generation of engineers and technicians.
The development of the centre has been supported by funding from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and from Lloyds Bank, with a £5m contribution over five years.
The investment from Lloyds Bank will support over 1,000 trainees, in line with the Group’s Helping Britain Prosper Plan, as well as helping the UK realise its potential in advanced manufacturing.
Managing director of the MTC’s Lloyds Bank Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, Paul Rowlett commented: “With a continued shortfall in engineering skills, the sector is crying out for new employees who have a specialised set of skills needed for their business to progress.
“The unique opportunity to gain expertise with MTC member companies involved in some of the most exciting research into advanced manufacturing methods and processes being undertaken anywhere in the world, provides a great springboard to an exciting career in a thriving sector.”
Tim Hinton, managing director of Mid Markets and SME Banking at Lloyds Banking Group, added: “The UK economy is growing, but if the shortage in manufacturing skills is not addressed, it will seriously hamper our future capabilities and poses a significant risk to our competitiveness and overseas trade.
“Our £5m contribution to help finance more apprenticeships at these impressive facilities is just one of the ways that we are supporting the manufacturing sector and closing the skills gap. We are confident that the MTC and AMTC will develop the next generation of world-leading engineers and help reassert the UK’s engineering prowess.”
The new training centre opened its doors to its second batch of apprentices in September, giving new recruits the opportunity to train and learn alongside some of the world’s leading experts in manufacturing and engineering.
Apprentices have been able to work on projects that are redefining manufacturing techniques of the future, such as robotics, 3D printing, intelligent automation and advanced metrology.
