£3 million manufacturing training and development centre unveiled

More than 100 local businesses and stakeholders attended a launch event for the £3 million Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology (MCMT) in Bridgnorth to find out how they can play their role in helping it reverse the region’s skills and competency gaps.

The MCMT, which is led by a consortium of Classic Motor Cars, Grainger & Worrall, Salop Design & Engineering and training provider In-Comm, will provide a high-tech environment for individuals to learn from engineering experts on the latest technology – all geared towards giving opportunities to apply their new found skills on real life manufacturing situations.

Supported by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, work will start on fitting out the 36,000ft² building on the Stanmore Industrial Estate in January 2017, with plans in place to create dedicated 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, 5 vehicle ramps and a rolling road test facility.

Matthew Snelson, director of Grainger & Worrall and managing director of the centre, said: “This is one of the most exciting developments seen in manufacturing training provision in the area for many years and yesterday gave us the perfect opportunity to communicate our vision to employers, colleges, universities and future learners.”

“We believe the MCMT is critical to closing the skills gap for Shropshire businesses, but we are under no illusions that we will need the rest of local industry, education and training to play their part. This could be through informing how the provision develops, using the services and even offering time and expertise to help with delivering some of the learning.”

He continued: “There are also plenty of opportunities for businesses to sponsor different learning zones or donate equipment and machinery our learners can train on.”

Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology www.mcmt.co.uk