£2.5m training boost for key sectors in the region

Education organisations have secured a £2.5m funding package to enhance skills training in manufacturing, engineering, and construction.

This initiative will result in the establishment of new training centres and the delivery of additional courses across Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire, and Herefordshire, under the Marches Education Partnership banner.

The project, supported by entities like Herefordshire, Ludlow North Shropshire College, and others, addresses specific skills needs identified in the latest Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) compiled by Shropshire Chamber for the Department for Education.

The investment aims to launch 14 new training centres and create at least 30 new courses.

The focus is on alleviating staff and skills shortages in manufacturing and engineering, including food and drink and construction. There’s a specific emphasis on building a ‘green skills’ construction workforce with a focus on environmental technologies.

The overarching goal is to provide improved skills training, enabling individuals pursuing careers in growing sectors such as green energy, digital, and construction, or those seeking upskilling for career development, to secure quality employment opportunities closer to home.

These projects are slated for completion by the end of 2025, with approximately £1.2m allocated for new equipment and technology.

The remaining funds will contribute to curriculum development, staff training, promotion, and project management costs.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan said: “This investment is about boosting local industries, building people’s skills and ultimately future-proofing our economy and the career prospects of the next generation.”