EEF invests £2m into training centre
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A £2 million training centre in the Midlands has been opened by the EEF. The centre, designed to train manufacturers and engineers of the future in facilities replicating a real manufacturing environment, will train around 250 apprentices a year in skills including milling, CNC machinery, welding and fabrication.
As well as apprentices and young people, the new centre will also provide development training for experienced employees.
Terry Scuoler, chief executive at EEF, said: "Young people are the future of manufacturing – their skills and talents are the lifeblood that allows British businesses to develop and grow. However, this lifeblood is still only trickling through when we need a strong and steady flow.
"This centre is an important step in encouraging youngsters into our sector so that we can start to close the skills gap. But apprenticeships aren't just a 'win' for industry, they're a 'win' for young people too – offering an opportunity to kick-start an exciting and rewarding career in a vibrant and dynamic sector. The more who take up this opportunity, the better it will be for manufacturing and the wider economy."
EEF research shows that manufacturers are increasingly recognising the importance of apprentices in addressing the skills gap within the sector. Six in 10 have taken on an engineering and manufacturing apprentice in the last 12 months, with expectations for this to soar to over two-thirds of manufacturers in the next 12 months.