Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has awarded £548k funding through the Department for Education to enable three providers to deliver training in manufacturing skills as part of their Skills Bootcamps scheme.
In the UK, manufacturing has been identified as a key sector due to its contribution to the economy. On a local level, manufacturing serves a long tradition in Greater Manchester however skills intelligence shows that manufacturing employers are facing growing challenges in regard to upskilling and recruitment.
The Skills Bootcamps are designed to address these challenges as part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs. The offer is a flexible, up to 16-week training course which will build sector-specific skills and guarantee an interview with a local employer.
The three providers delivering manufacturing bootcamps in Greater Manchester are; 3D 360 who specialise in 3D printing courses; Rochdale Training who are focusing on welding and Salford City College who are offering training in industrial textiles.
Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, Greater Manchester’s lead for Education, Work, Skills, Apprenticeships and Digital said:
“Skills Bootcamps represent such an amazing opportunity for our residents and local businesses. The number of Greater Manchester residents employed in the manufacturing sector is estimated to be between 100,000 – 116,000, representing 7.4 – 8% of the workforce.
“The scheme is designed to help local people gain new skills to pursue exciting careers and places an emphasis on the technical skills welcomed by businesses across Greater Manchester.
“This is not just about manufacturing and technology, it’s about the benefit and value we can provide to our residents and city-region.”
