Engineering news
The manufacturers’ organisation EEF is to open a new state-of-the-art apprentice and skills training centre in the West Midlands.
The multi-million pound training centre hopes to set the standard for world-class manufacturing education, providing opportunities for learning, re-skilling and up-skilling from apprentices through to adult learners.
The facility will be built at Nexus Point, Witton, in Birmingham, replacing the EEF's current centre at Tyseley.
The new centre will have double the number of classrooms and lecture theatres currently available, training up to 130 apprentices on any given day. Trainees will have their own workstations – whether that be a CNC machine, CAD desk or welding bay. Apprentices will rotate around the various sections during their training and have the opportunity to specialise in a skills area of their choice.
Peter Winebloom, EEF apprentices and skills director, said: “This will be an industry-leading apprentice centre for employers in the West Midlands and across the UK, with sufficient capacity to cater for current and future needs.
“We are committed to providing employers and other UK manufacturing organisations with the very best facilities and training to equip their young employees with the skills they require.
“We looked at options of developing our existing site, but it was too constrained. All the current programmes will transfer from Tyseley, but we intend to expand our existing portfolio in response to employer demand. The new centre will enable EEF members and other clients to develop their own bespoke facilities dedicated to their trainees.”
Business secretary Vince Cable commented: “With figures out this week showing growth in the manufacturing sector, it’s important we are giving people the right training to meet future demand.
“The government is investing in a record number of apprentices and creating a £150 million pot for employers to create the training schemes they need. But we must work in partnership with industry and others if we are to remain competitive and create growth.
“Facilities like these from EEF will help as we create the next generation of manufacturers. Apprentices will be able to gain hands-on experience in their chosen speciality, acquiring the skills and techniques that employers need to help create a stronger economy.”
The Nexus Point training centre is due to open in September, in time to welcome the 2013 intake.