Engineering training project secures £5m funding

Carol Burke (Unipart Manufacturing Group), Carl Perrin (AME) and Zamurad Hussain (CWLEP)

An engineering training project has been awarded £5m to create a new facility which will open later this year.

The partnership between Coventry University and Unipart Manufacturing Group to train engineering graduates is to be extended.

The Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) – known as the ‘faculty on the factory floor’ – was established at Unipart Manufacturing on Beresford Avenue in Holbrooks, four years ago to provide teaching and research space for Coventry University students.

Work is now due to start on refurbishing one of the site’s buildings next month.

Around 120 students are currently studying at the site and since AME was launched, 100% of students who have graduated have been employed in engineering jobs.

The Government’s Local Growth Fund through the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) has awarded £1m of funding and Coventry University is providing a further £4m to refurbish the additional building to equip it with state-of-the-art digital manufacturing and materials analysis equipment.

This will include investment in robotics, automation, digital technologies, laser processing and surface engineering – all designed to enhance research and teaching capabilities that will drive increased productivity.

Minister for local growth Jake Berry said: “We are committed to boosting economic growth across the Midlands Engine and whole of the UK to build a Britain fit for the future.

“Our £1m investment from the Local Growth Fund in the expansion of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing will enhance its capacity to train highly-skilled workers and drive innovation to support the world-class manufacturing and engineering sector across the region long into the future.”

Professor Carl Perrin, CEO of the Institute for Future Transport & Cities (FTC) and director of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME), said: “The vision for AME was to create a unique live manufacturing and engineering environment that inspires the next generation of engineers and develops powertrain and energy transfer solutions of tomorrow for partners involved in automotive, aerospace and renewables.

“The expanded AME will consolidate our manufacturing and materials research under one roof and provide a digital manufacturing demonstrator for research, upskilling regional businesses and teaching our students the latest digital manufacturing technologies which will benefit future employers.”

Carol Burke, managing director at Unipart Manufacturing Group, added: “It is essential that we work collaboratively to support the development of the UK supply chain so that we can deliver the capacity and skills required to lead the world in low carbon technology.

“Expansion of AME is a welcome boost in achieving this aim and will, in turn, continue to contribute to support industrial growth both in the West Midlands and further afield.”

 

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