Siemens and Trafford College have partnered to launch a skills and apprenticeship partnership in order to help tackle the region’s engineering skills shortage. The partnership will see students from across the North West train at the new Centre for Science and Technology which has received over £15M of new investment, equipped with a Siemens lab in order to help engineering apprentices across a number of businesses to become qualified and employed in the sector.
The partnership is part of Siemens’ successful bid for the Employer Ownership of Skills Pilot, which seeks to help employers train young people whilst encouraging further education. The engineering company will be working with their solution provider partners in the area of apprenticeship provision to generate the appropriate skills for the sector and will claim assistance for learners for the management of the scheme, college and specialised technical training course costs.
Siemens will run the apprenticeship scheme on behalf of its customers and partners which include Bilfinger, Boulting Group, Cleveland Systems, and the Siemens Glass Academy launched with British Glass last year
The first apprentices started at the beginning of September 2013 and the partnership has flourished; one of the partner SMEs, Applied Integration, is a key supplier to the BAE systems astute class submarine program. Siemens Rail Systems based in Ardwick, Siemens Industry based in Didsbury and Siemens Electrium based in Wythenshaw will be taking on apprentices who will study at the college.
Juergen Maier, Siemens Industry Managing Director said “We are very proud to playing such a leading role in boosting the skills of engineering apprentices across the North West, which has the largest manufacturing sector anywhere in the UK. By getting directly involved in the education of future engineers we are able to develop the skills industry needs to stay ahead of international competition. This partnership is a vital part of helping create the green industrial jobs of the future”
By the end of their apprenticeships, the students will be trained and qualified to technician level in Siemens’ PLCs and drive technologies. Apprentices will be studying for the BTEC National Certificate in Electrical / Electronic Engineering, followed by day release at Siemens for specific training on Siemens products.
Sir Bill Moorcroft, Principle of Trafford College commented “Trafford College is delighted to be working alongside Siemens in what are very exciting times for the STEM industry. Trafford College has invested £15M in our new Centre for Science and Technology, and through our innovative partnership with Siemens we are developing the next generation of skilled apprentices. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Siemens and employers large and small, to develop the skills needed to grow our economy.”
Siemens is now actively recruiting its next intake of apprentices, and the application window is now open. For more information please follow the web link: http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk
