MTC opens training centre with Lloyds Bank to tackle the skills gap
- Business Secretary, Sajid Javid MP, formally opens flagship centre to inspire and train next generation of engineers
- Lloyds Bank £5m contribution will support over 1,000 trainees providing the vital skills needed for UK economy
- State-of-the-art facilities will future-proof the UK manufacturing sector
The MTC’s Lloyds Bank Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, located on the campus of the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) at Ansty Park, Coventry, has been designed to provide premium training for the next generation of engineers and technicians.
Addressing the skills gap
Funding from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has been matched by industry support for the development of the centre.
Lloyds Bank is the largest private sector contributor to the centre and is contributing £5m over a five-year period as part of its commitment to support the UK manufacturing industry and to help tackle the sector’s shortfall in skills.
The bank’s contribution 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.
The new training centre opened its doors to its second cohort 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 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 three million high quality apprenticeships by 2020 because we know apprenticeships are good for business, young people and the British economy."
Managing director of the MTC’s Lloyds Bank Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, Paul Rowlett, said:
"Our training courses are setting the standard as the future of advanced manufacturing apprenticeships. 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."
Lord Blackwell, chairman of Lloyds Banking Group said:
"Supporting the manufacturing sector has been a key priority since the Bank was formed over 250 years ago and investing in the right skills is critical to the development of a high-value manufacturing economy. We share the centre’s vision in helping young people acquire the necessary skills, ensuring they are well placed to enter the workforce, which in turn will help Britain prosper."
Helping SMEs access the necessary skills
The purpose-built training facility delivers a range of training and experience on real-life projects – from apprenticeship programmes, through engineer up-skilling courses and graduate development programmes, right up to executive level training.
Tim Hinton, managing director of mid markets and SME at Lloyds Banking Group, said:
"The UK economy is relatively robust but if the shortage in manufacturing skills continues it will seriously hamper our future capabilities. This poses a significant risk to our competitiveness and overseas trade."
“Our investment in these impressive facilities is just one of the ways we are supporting manufacturing in closing the skills-gap. We are confident that the centre will develop the next generation of world-leading engineers and reassert the UK’s engineering prowess.”
For employers eager to grow their business and ensure they offer a competitive advantage, the centre’s apprenticeship scheme provides business-ready technicians and engineers who have received specialist training with the skills to make an immediate difference in their organisation.
Innovate UK chief executive, Ruth McKernan, said:
"Ensuring the UK is the best place for companies to innovate and grow requires investing in tomorrow’s highly skilled workforce. The MTC’s Lloyds Bank Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, which is a fantastic opportunity for apprentices, complements the world-class facilities of the HVM Catapult’s Manufacturing Technology Centre."
Paul Rowlett added:
"Our programmes link the development of world-class manufacturing technology with the development of people, ensuring we match the skills and individual with the employer’s specific requirements. This saves employers time and resources trying to develop and manage the development of new apprentices in-house.”
Fulfilling the skill needs of UK manufacturing into the future will only be achievable if more people choose a career in engineering. To inspire the next generation of engineers, the centre works closely with schools and colleges to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) related activities that demonstrate to young people (aged 7-19) how exciting, creative and rewarding a career in engineering can be if they have the right qualifications and experience.
Dr Clive Hickman, chief executive of the MTC, said:
"We have a clear vision - to inspire Great British manufacturing on the global stage. We are extremely proud to be able to offer such exciting prospects for young engineers – and for the high-value manufacturing sector as a whole. This impressive training facility will revolutionise engineering training, which in turn will make a significant contribution towards driving economic growth.”