Focusing on the skills gap is not enough anymore, firms told

MANUFACTURERS need to focus on more than just the skills gap if they want to save their businesses thousands of pounds in poor productivity, a West Midlands training provider has said.

In-Comm Training and Business Services’ Gareth Jones said firms should be paying greater attention to bridging the ‘competency gap’ if they were going to develop the next generation of employees.

Mr Jones cited the importance of showing young people how the skills and knowledge they were learning could be applied on the shop floor and the only way they could do this is to ensure they have access to industry experience.

“All we constantly hear about is bridging the skills gap and, whilst we should start there, we should be ensuring they go on to the next level. There is no substitute for showing apprentices how the attributes they are gaining can be used to improve efficiencies, come up with new solutions or meet Just-in-Time deliveries,” said Mr Jones.

“And that is where experienced trainers come into their own, trainers who have been experts in their field and want to pass some of that knowledge, experience and common sense down to the next generation.”

In-Comm has recruited another three trainers to help with expansion of its academies in the Black Country and Shropshire, Between the 18 trainers now employed, the firm has more than 330 years’ experience of working across every manufacturing sector imaginable, from automotive and aerospace to food and pharmaceutical.

“They cover all of the main competence gaps in industry, with specialists in maintenance, quality, production, health and safety and management systems,” said Mr Jones.

2016 was a year of major growth for In-Comm, with more than £700,000 invested into its academies in Aldridge and Shrewsbury so that it can support more than 450 learners to complete Intermediate, Advanced and Higher qualifications.

The money has been channelled into equipping the workshops with new lathes and milling machines, CNC capabilities, a new electrical section and an increased number of MIG/TIG/MAA welding stations.

Two new CAD design centres have been created, including the integration of the latest CAD/CAM software.

The company is also playing an integral role in the roll-out of the new Marches Centre for Manufacturing Technology (MCMT) in Bridgnorth; a £3m project that has been supported by the Marches LEP and will cater for over 2020 apprentices and learners by 2020.

“This is a really bold step and one that brings together a consortium of partners including ourselves, Grainger & Worrall, Classic Motor Cars and Salop Design & Engineering. The LEP listened to what employers wanted and, through the Government Skills Capital Initiative, are letting us drive the provision,” added Mr Jones.

“It has the potential to bridge the competency gap that so much of industry is simply not paying attention to.”