Engineering project showcases to MEPs
1 min read
Derby-based MEIRG (Midlands Engineering Industries Redeployment Group) and Glenis Wilmot, MEP, took the results of its pilot redeployment initiative to the European Parliament to showcase its success and persuade more countries to adopt the model to help secure the future of engineering.
The MEIRG project has been a year in operation as a public-private partnership pilot scheme designed to retain, retrain and redeploy the Midlands engineering talent pool. Part-funded by EQUAL and EMDA, over the past twelve months it has surpassed its targets by an average of 44% to December 2006 and supported over 4500 individuals in the region who have or are going through redundancies or company restructuring by up-grading their skills through training or helping them find alternative employment.
The organisation has also helped over 300 Midlands businesses achieve a more skilled workforce as well attend events aimed at attracting more young people into the sector to help combat predictions that by 2012 the UK will not have the sufficiently skilled engineering workers that employers demand. It is able to do this on-site with ERIC, a mobile training vehicle, which can be adapted for each company’s, or events, needs.
Wilmot says: “MEIRG's achievements over the past year have been outstanding. Both individuals and businesses across the region have benefited from its pioneering methods and tailored training packages. And the Engineering Resource and Innovation Centre means MEIRG can deliver its services onsite, taking support to the heart of wherever it is needed.”
Jan Staley, project manager at MEIRG, added; “We managed to talk to the right people to really drive home the message. One MEP said she’ll be going back to her region demanding an ERIC and a redeployment model based on MEIRG. We can’t afford to rest on our laurels and if we can get other regions in the UK and in Europe to adopt the model we can all reap the benefits of a more stable economy and a more appropriately skilled, younger workforce.”
Staley concluded; “MEIRG and ERIC have already been highlighted as an example of best practice throughout the UK and EU. European Ministers and MEPs were keen to view our model of delivery and we hope to see other countries implement a similar service.”
For more information on MEIRG, go online or call 01332 371494.
