Bridgnorth's £3m training centre to offer sneak peek of facilities with first 68 roles on offer

Dozens of roles are being offered up for young people looking to enter the workforce as part of the launch of the £3 million Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology (MCMT).

Led by employers Grainger & Worrall, Classic Motor Cars, Salop Design & Engineering and training specialist In-Comm, the centre will provide the county with access to over 65,000 sq ft of engineering and manufacturing space and will be equipped with technology that will ensure apprentices are industry-ready when they leave.

An open even later this month will showcase 68 roles which have been created through the hub, which is ultimately aimed at training 2,020 apprentices by 2020.

An open event on June 30 will be held to mark 60 days before the official opening of the £3 million centre.

“We are continually told there is a skills shortage in the region and this is holding companies back," said Matthew Snelson, managing director fo MCMT.

"WWell now is the time to stop talking about it and actually embrace a bold and ambitious vision to bridge that gap.

“The Summer Event will see us throw open our doors so people can see how construction and the fit-out is going and we should be able to unveil the striking frontage of the training school.”

He added: “A lot of employers are already backing the MCMT and a large number of apprenticeship places currently available will be linked to companies so you have ready-made jobs.”

The June 30 event, from 1pm to 6pm, will give visitors an opportunity to see the development of the MCMT, a virtual tour of the different technology zones and a chance to meet key members of the team.

There will also be a chance for young people to sign-up to be part of the first cohort of apprentices available in courses ranging from maintenance engineering, business improvement and welding, to automotive, electrical, engineering design and mechanical engineering.

The Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology has received £1.9m of Government Growth Deal funding via the Marches LEP to bring the concept into reality, with £1.1m of private funding already pledged.

It will provide a high-tech environment for individuals to learn from engineering experts on the latest technology – all geared towards giving them opportunities to apply their new found skills on real life manufacturing situations.

Located on The Stanmore Industrial Estate in Bridgnorth, the MCMT will house fabrication, foundry, lathe, metrology, milling, robotics and vehicle trimming sections, as well as a specialist CNC Zone and spray booth/mixing capabilities.

There will also be an auditorium lecture theatre, bespoke learning environments, five vehicle ramps and a rolling road test facility.

Ms Snelson added: “We are just finalising the technology that will be installed and ready for action when we launch in September. It’s an exciting list so far and will be far more advanced than anything current available in the county.

“For instance, there will be 30 manual lathes and milling centres, a Laser Roamer arm for metrology, Hardinge Bridgeport CNC Centres, Halter Automation Robotics Line and testing machines. This is just a snapshot; the full capability will be announced shortly.”