Specialist manufacturing centre secures first apprentices

More than 40 young people have signed up to be part of the first intake of students at a new manufacturing skills centre.

The students were all recruited following an open day at the £4m Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology (MCMT) in Bridgnorth.

The centre is a joint effort between by a consortium of Classic Motor Cars, Grainger & Worrall, In-Comm Training and Salop Design & Engineering.

Matthew Snelson, managing director of the MCMT, said the open event was the first opportunity to showcase the facilities on offer at the 36,000 sq ft venue.

“The response was fantastic. Over 500 visitors joined us during the five hours and, importantly, we had lots of school pupils keen to explore a possible career in engineering and manufacturing. Once they saw what we had planned, spoke to In-Comm about the training opportunities and saw the robotics/CNC machines we were putting in, 40 of them signed up on the spot,” he said.

“I think we’ve captured the imagination with this venture, where a company-led approach is harnessing public sector funding to creating Apprenticeships and upskilling opportunities that will make a real difference to firms in the county.”

The open event was also supported by local employers keen to be matched with young apprentices.

Some of MCMT’s key backers were also present, including ABB Robotics, Engineering Technology Group, FBC Manby Bowdler and Hexagon Metrology.

Mr Snelson said: “The building should be handed over to us in a few weeks and then we’ll have the job of kitting it out with up to £2m of technology and machinery.”

The MCMT has received £1.9m of Government Growth Deal funding via the Marches LEP to bring the concept into reality, with £1.1m of private sector funding already pledged.

It aims to provide a high-tech environment for youngsters to learn from engineering experts on the latest technology.