SKILLS FORTHE FUTURE

ANEW TRAINING FACILITY IN TELFORD

IS AIMING TO PLUG THE SKILLS GAPS IN ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING. MATT PANTER TAKESUPTHE STORY

Itfeels like the perfect location. Abusiness park brimming with opportunity,just afew miles away from the home of the industrial revolution. In-Comm Training’s new £3m technical academy in Telford is on amission to help Shropshireand surrounding areas plug skills gaps in engineering and manufacturing.

To do so, it is looking to train more than 350 apprentices and upskill 2,500 existing workers at its new T54 academy over the next twelve months.

Youget the feeling In-Comm will succeed. It is, after all, an ‘Ofsted Outstanding’ provider.

In Telford, it has created 20,000 sq ft of manufacturing training space, fitting it out with new equipment and state-ofthe-art technology,spanning from the latest CNC machines, robotics, fluid power and material testingtowelding, electrical, lathes, millers, CAD/CAM and metrology equipment.

Ateam of 20 expert trainers –all with considerable experience in industry –will be on hand to guide the engineers of the future and to deliver best practice courses that will help local companies future-proof employees for years to come.

“It’s afantastic facility,near the birthplace of the Industrial

Revolution and theepicentre for industry for the north Marches region,” says Gareth Jones, managing director for In-Comm Training.

“That’s why we chose to bring it here. The work starts now and we want to work with manufacturing and engineering organisations and really understand their values, engaging with them on strategy and growth.

“Post-pandemic, there have been more early retirees which has accentuated the skills gap.

“Wehave to plug the gap that has emerged with initiatives to bring new blood into the pipeline as well as reskilling existing employees for new job roles. We have got amassivepart to playinthe development of the industry.”

Bridgnorth’s James Morgan, 24, InComm Training’s Apprentice of the Year, officially opened the Telford Technical Academy.He is now working full-time at Torus, over the road from theacademy,as a product engineer.

“Without the courses and programmes and being pushed outside my comfort zone, Iwouldn’t be in the position Iam now with Torus,” he explains. “It hasset me up for the future.”

Gareth adds: “We’ve been operating in Shropshire since 2015 andall ofour clients have been saying to us that Telford has been crying out for adedicated manufacturingtraining centre for years.

“Our approach, being very much employer-led, meant we had to act on this, so we decided to make a£3million investment into taking on the building on T54 and creating atruly world-class technical academy for the thousands of manufacturers operating in the town and county

“Telford is just afew minutes away from where the first industrial revolution started and industry is going through the next one, with digital transformation firmly on the agenda and amove to more sustainable production high on the list of priorities.

“Companies must act to make sure they have the skills in place to support this transition and this Technical Academy will play an important role in generatingthe talent of the future.

FROM TOP: Bekki Phillips, In-Comms Training’sCOO, ClaireCritchell, Business Support at Telford& Wrekin Council, James Morgan, In-Comm’s apprentice of the year (cutting ribbon), Gareth Jones, MD of In-Comm Training, Georgina Barnard, MD of the Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology and Kathryn Jones, Head of Partnerships at Marches Local Enterprise Partnership; apprentice Annabelle Wood,aged 16, is broadening her skill set at the new Telfordacademy; In-Comm Telford.

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Gareth Jones, MD of In-Comm Training, Selina Graham, High Sherriff of Shropshire, James Morgan, In-Comm’sapprentice of the year andBekki Phillips, In-Comms Training’sCOO; apprentice Abbie Clinton, 16, is benefiting from In-Comm.

“Our manufacturers have amajor role to play in this and we are using the opening as arallying call to getmore strategic partners involved in how we deliver training in the area.”

The centre will be home to the Marches spoke of the Black Country & Marches Institute of Technology,which is pioneering anew approach to delivering today’s higher technical education for tomorrow’s careers.

The aim is to create avibrant learning environment that boots the capabilities of academia, employers, and higher education –all geared towards providing high quality training opportunity with clear pathways to skilled jobs in automotive, advanced engineering, aerospace, construction, medical and renewables.

There will also be astrong focus on delivering upskilling and managed services from Telford, as well as expert consultancy on safety and quality compliance, leadership and management and continuous improvement.

Bekki Phillips, chief operating officer at In-Comm Training, said: “There’s no escaping thetough economic climate. But, at the same time, local manufacturers have some great opportunities through reshoring and leading theelectrification race.

“Protecting the skills of today and future developing the skills required for tomorrow will be key in turning the potential into reality

“A strong UK economy needs a buoyant manufacturing sector,and we’ll only achieve this by growing engineering and industrial skills. If we achieve this, our innovative companies will no longer have to worryabout gaining access to the talent they need to lead the world.”

In-Comm Training marked the open day by inviting senior delegates, including Selina Graham,the High Sheriff of Shropshire, Claire Critchell, of Telford & Wrekin Council and Kathryn Jones, from Marches LEP,toattend.

Andthe High Sheriff ’s words will hopefully resonate with manytalented youngsters, moving forward, as they look to embark on their journeys.

“It’s important to provide young people with the ability to be creative, resilient and to add value to the world they are inheriting,” she said.

“Atthisnew base, you have training that equips the apprentices with the skills and confidence required to make areal impact.

“They are replicating real-world manufacturing environments with state-of-the art equipment unrivalled in the UK. We want Shropshireto be the best it can be –wherepeoplework, live and learn. We can lead the world but not without world-class training and this will be the critical factor in capturing competitive advantage.”

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Morethan 200 people turned out at the launch; among them Bekki Phillips, InComms TrainingCOO, James Morgan, In-Comm’sapprentice of the year,Georgina Barnard, MD of the Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology, Selina Graham, High Sheriff of Shropshire, Kathryn Jones, Head of Partnerships at Marches Local Enterprise Partnership and Claire Critchell, Business Support at Telford& Wrekin Council.