Machine tool supplier, The Engineering Technology Group, has committed £6m to creating a network of Technical Academies, with the first to be built at Norton Motorcycles.
The Academies, which will all be located on the site of a strategic manufacturing partner, will provide companies with the opportunity to upskill their staff on the latest CNC machine tools and precision technology, with some providing a full apprenticeship curriculum.
They have been developed in collaboration with 14 like-minded technical partners with all of the training set to be provided by Ofsted ‘outstanding’ In-Comm Training.
Each centre will also provide demonstration/showroom facilities and reflect the manufacturing expertise required by the region they are based in, ensuring firms get access to skills that will help them grow and individuals receive training that will help secure them employment.
The 250 sq metre technical academy at Norton Motorcycles is the first to be officially launched and will feature a range of Bridgeport Hardinge, Quaser, Chiron and Nakamura CNC machines supplied by The Engineering Technology Group.
It will be open to companies looking to train their staff in advanced manufacturing, customers of the machine tool supplier and technical partners looking to demonstrate their technology on live projects.
The centre will also act as a new prototyping cell for Norton it can quickly trial the manufacture of new parts for its range of British-built bikes.
Stuart Garner, CEO of Norton Motorcycles, added his support: “We are very proud of our British heritage and the reputation UK manufacturing carries across the world. However, in order for us to remain competitive we have to take it into our own hands and do something about bridging the skills gap.”
A further six academies are set to be launched in Birmingham, Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury, Warwickshire, Tayside in Scotland and in Ireland. Negotiations are currently underway with partners in Lincolnshire, Northern Ireland, the North East, the South East, the South West and in the Thames Valley.
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