Aerospace manufacturers are set to benefit from a new £500,000 learning fund designed to improve productivity through the skills of existing employers.
The European Social Fund Lift Off Project, which is being managed by supply chain initiative Accelerate, is set to give companies in Objective 2 areas the opportunity to access specialist training support that can be tailored to suit their own needs.
A range of NVQ Level 3 courses will be available for up to 150 workers over the next eighteen months, with the opportunity for large tier one suppliers to team up with supply chain companies to access free places.
Tiryfa Mohammad-Ali, contracts manager at Accelerate, said: "The aerospace sector has been largely under represented when it comes to NVQ qualifications, yet remains one of the most demanding and highly skilled industries in the world.
"What this new funding should do is open the door to a host of new formal qualifications in areas that matter to a business, such as manufacturing improvement techniques, combined working practices, engineering maintenance, quality and production.
"By giving companies cost effective access to this learning provision, we are not only improving the performance of the sector, but providing its workforce with recognised qualifications they can use later in their career."
Accelerate, which is managed by Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, has teamed up with the Manufacturing Advisory Service West Midlands, PTP International and the Engineering Employers Federation to deliver the programme.
It will have particular emphasis on the region's hot spots, such as Birmingham, north Wolverhampton, Coventry and Nuneaton.
Whilst the courses are open to aerospace employees living or working in the Objective 2 area, there will be a strong emphasis on encouraging 30-45 years olds to upskill and take leadership/management positions being vacated by older employees.
Ms Mohammad-Ali said: "It's a cliche, but people really do drive a business and manufacturing in particular hashad difficulties in attracting both skilled people and coming to terms with an ageing workforce
"The importance of workforce development is often in danger of being overlooked."
