A NEW specialist engineering training facility is to open in Worcestershire in the autumn to train up to 200 young apprentice engineers over the next four years.

The new Engineering Centre of Excellence in Arrow Road, Redditch, will be run by specialist training provider, Midland Group Training Services and provide a dedicated local facility to ensure young people can be trained to provide the engineering skills local companies require. The new £1.5m facility is a private and public sector collaboration with Midland Group Training Services investing £800,000 and both Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnerships investing £350,000 each through the Government’s Growth Deals. The North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration team worked with partners on behalf of Redditch Borough Council.

Lee Weatherly of Midland Group Training Services, said: “We are passionate about apprenticeships and delivering training that is completely relevant to the world of work. We work very closely with companies to make sure our apprentices have the skills and the right attitudes that employers require. We know that there is a high level of demand from our local commercial and industrial clients which includes the need for more and higher level apprentices.”

The new facility was prioritised for funding as it meets the ambition outlined in Worcestershire’s 10-Year Strategic Economic Plan, which was formed with all partners including local businesses, councils, trade bodies and the voluntary sector to ensure the long term prosperity of the County. It also helps to meet GBSLEP priorities for employment and skills outlined in its North Worcestershire Employment and Skills Plan.

Currently 10,000 people participate in an apprenticeship programme across Worcestershire, with excellence celebrated at the Annual Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards, and this new centre will increase the number of skilled engineering apprentices in the county.