Jason Ford

Manufacturing training centre aims to prepare tomorrow's engineers

News

The engineers of tomorrow are to be trained at a new centre opened today by business secretary Sajid Javid.

The Lloyds Bank Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, located on the Manufacturing Technology Centre’s Ansty Park site in Coventry, is expected to provide optimum training for the next generation of engineers and technicians.

L-R: James Walton Director, Lloyds Manufacturing mid markets, Terry Morgan (chairman MTC) apprentices: John Hubbbard , Jugjeevan Singh, Clive Hickman (CEO MTC) business secretary Sajid Javid, Lord Blackwell, chairman of Lloyds Banking Group, Tim Hinton,
L-R: James Walton Director, Lloyds Manufacturing mid markets, Terry Morgan (chairman MTC) apprentices: John Hubbbard , Jugjeevan Singh, Clive Hickman (CEO MTC) business secretary Sajid Javid, Lord Blackwell, chairman of Lloyds Banking Group, Tim Hinton, managing director of Mid Markets and SME Banking at Lloyds Banking Group, apprentices: Emma Sanders, Reece Quinn and Darren Biddle

Funding from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has been matched by industry support for the development of the centre, including £5m over five years from Lloyds Bank.

According to a statement, the bank’s contribution will support over 1,000 trainees, which is said to be in line with the group’s Helping Britain Prosper Plan; as well as helping the UK realise its potential in advanced manufacturing.

The new training centre took on its second cohort of apprentices in September with trainees working on projects related to robotics, 3D printing, intelligent automation and advanced metrology.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: “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 3 million high quality apprenticeships by 2020 because we know apprenticeships are good for business, young people and the British economy.”

Paul Rowlett, managing director of the MTC’s Lloyds Bank AMTC added: “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.”