£2m digital engineering skills centre launches

Walsall College has opened its Digital Engineering Skills Centre which aims to address skills deficiencies and recruitment challenges faced by the engineering and construction sectors.

With funding through the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Deal, the £2m centre includes CNC programming and production machines, along with computer-aided design and 3D printing equipment for prototyping and production technologies.

Jatinder Sharma, Walsall College’s principal and chief executive, said: “The centre acts as a digital passport for the development and growth of local businesses – meeting productivity and efficiency needs.

“Businesses continue to report skills gaps that make it hard for them to fill apprenticeship and job vacancies, creating key barriers to production and profit.  Our training provision supports these employers by delivering the specific traditional and specialist skills they need.”

Stewart Towe, chair of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (BCLEP), said: “We welcome the launch of the new centre.

“By providing funding support, we are continuing the ambitions set out in the LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan for the Black Country to become proficient in digital engineering and advanced manufacturing.  This is with a view to raising skills levels and productivity, and delivering our long term economic growth.”

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