MCMT helping firms to bridge skills gap

Two of Shropshire’s leading training centres are throwing open their doors over the next fortnight to help bridge the skills gap in the region.

The Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology (MCMT) is urging local firms looking to recruit apprentices to attend two of the special open days that will take place at its hubs in Bridgnorth today, February 9, and in Shrewsbury on February 15.

Both starting at 9am, the interactive sessions will give local businesses the opportunity to see how they can benefit from apprenticeships and the host of different courses designed to upskill their workforces, whilst learners will discover how they can boost their careers by accessing world class training and manufacturing facilities.

Visitors will be able to tour both facilities, view dedicated CNC zones, explore robotics and metrology technologies and enjoy live demonstrations on some of the latest machines.

“We’ve got two fantastic facilities in Shropshire and the best way of selling them is to let people and firms come in and see for themselves what we can offer,” explained Matt Snelson, managing mirector of MCMT.

“The Open Days will be split into two. From 9am to 11am, we are targeting companies that are keen to employ apprentices or want to improve the skills of their existing workers. This window will give them the opportunity to meet our Centre Co-ordinators, the trainers and understand how the new trailblazer courses work.”

He continued: “Then from 1pm to 6pm in Bridgnorth and 7pm in Shrewsbury, the centres are open purely for schools, pupils, teachers and learners who are keen to get into a career in engineering and manufacturing.

“We already have apprentices at both centres that are enjoying learning practical and theoretical engineering skills. 30 further places are available now and a further 90 will go live in September.

“By taking the vocational route learners can avoid tuition fees and be up to £100,000 better off at the start of their career as they are earning whilst learning.”

Marches Centre of Manufacturing and Technology is a consortium led by Classic Motor Cars, Grainger & Worrall, Salop Design & Engineering and In-Comm Training.

It secured £1.9m of Midlands Engine funding via the Marches LEP and has also received funding from a Marches redundant building grant and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to transform a 36,000 sq ft warehouse on the Stanmore Industrial Estate in Bridgnorth.

In a recent development it has agreed to merge with In-Comm Training Academy in Shrewsbury to create MCMT Shrewsbury as part of a more strategic approach to skills provision in the region.

For further information, please visit www.mcmt.co.uk or to book your place on the Open Days:

MCMT Bridgnorth: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/employer-and-learner-open-day-bridgnorth-tickets-42785508608

MCMT Shrewsbury - www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/employer-and-learner-open-day-shrewsbury-tickets-42785573803