Digital skills training provider secures more than £400,000 to deliver courses across region

Digital skills specialist Netcom Training has secured more than £400,000 in funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to deliver bespoke training to more than 110 learners across the region.

The partnership with WMCA will see Netcom offering fully-funded placements in the region, supporting people aged 19 and over from priority groups with flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, while helping employers across the West Midlands to fill skills shortages they have identified.

Learners will be able to study courses in cyber security, telecoms and data analytics – courses which have been selected by Netcom in direct response to the areas businesses in the West Midlands have said they lack key skills.

Additionally, a new course, Digital Marketing for Retiring Athletes, has been made available to support former competitors to transition into life after sports.

Kevin Vashi, managing director of Netcom, said: “The West Midlands has such a vast variety of employers, who all require a diverse range of skills to continue to compete at a national level.

“Our courses are designed with this in mind, ensuring we equip learners with innovative digital skills, build their talent and prepare them for employment, so they can access some of the many careers available to them in the tech industry – and all of it is fully funded.

“We’re especially pleased to be working with the WMCA to support retiring athletes with the next steps in their journey, helping them understand how to launch a business so they can continue to channel their sporting spirit and energy into their own success.

“Funding of this scale serves to unlock potential in people, especially those who feel they go under the radar and often miss out on opportunities. Our aim is to ensure nobody is left behind in the pursuit of digital skills building, and the WMCA shares that vision with us.”

Clare Hatton, director of employment and skills for WMCA, said: “We are pleased to be supporting Netcom to expand their digital bootcamp offer across the West Midlands and see them offer new training opportunities into emerging, high growth sectors, such as Telecoms, with the West Midlands leading the way on 5G.

“This will allow more residents the ability to obtain the skills they require to gain a better career and drive the region’s economic growth.”

Birmingham-based Netcom Training has recently also secured funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to provide 380 fully funded places in the region,150 fully funded places in partnership with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, 125 fully funded places with the Greater London Authority and 360 fully funded places with West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

he company is now targeting a national rollout of its training programmes.

Courses with Netcom, funded by the WMCA, begin from 21st January.