Pilot aims to upskill manufacturers with advanced and green technology

Through a new initiative by The Black Country & Marches Institute of Technology (IoT) hundreds of workers will be able to upskill.

The £500,000 In-Work Skills pilot will give specialist training for those aged 19+ on one of three Level 4 technical courses in automated machining, robotics and quality assurance.

The pilot, to be delivered at IoT, is free of charge and can be completed part-time and in modules giving both staff and employers complete flexibility. Training will be delivered one day per week over a three-month period.

IoT says the topics have been chosen to reflect the changing needs of the manufacturing industry and to take advantage of new advanced and greener technologies.

Bekki Phillips, COO at In-Comm Training said: “Brexit and Covid have placed a lot of financial pressure on businesses and, in some cases, training budgets have been cut, meaning employees and bosses are missing out on vital skills development.

“The In-Work Skills pilot has been designed to bridge this gap and will give manufacturers access to high-quality Level 4 technical courses at no cost to them.

“They will be delivered by our industry trainers, with content developed in conjunction with technical partners, such as the Engineering Technology Group and Bauromat. Furthermore, employers will also have a big say in shaping the focus, so it gives them exactly the skills they need to become more competitive and to win new business.”

Individuals will have to complete assignment-based examinations to ensure they have the necessary knowledge and understanding of the specialist topics, including modern machining methods, key principles of six sigma and robot cell design.