£500k investment to upskill East Riding manufacturing and engineering workforce

East Riding College (ERC) has invested nearly £500k in new manufacturing and engineering machinery to improve skills in the region.

The college is inviting business and industry leaders to a free breakfast event next month to find out more and learn how this could help to upskill their workforce.

The money has been spent on four specialist pieces of equipment: a six axis measuring machine, metallurgy testing machine, robotic arm programming machine and a 360 degree camera research kit, and ERC is offering bespoke courses around this new technology to help businesses upskill their workforces and improve employability in the region.

Richard Sellick, vice principal at ERC, commented: “The government has identified a national skills shortage in engineering and associated trades and has awarded us this money to help us rectify this.

“The wider strategy of growing manufacturing and engineering capabilities and addressing the skills the next generation of engineers will need to have, as well as the needs of the local market, influenced the decisions we made in what machinery to get; the money was wisely spent.”

Courses built around the new machines can be matched to the specific needs of a business or tailored specifically to a level of expertise or workforce sector.

Chris Dodsworth, head of faculty (Automotive, Construction and Engineering) at ERC, added: “We’d like to put ERC on the map for these types of courses, many people aren’t aware of what we offer. Every business has their own needs which is why we’re offering bespoke packages.”

The Upskill@ERC event will be held on Thursday April 27, and is aimed at engineering and manufacturing industries including those involved in CNC machinery, tool making and fabrication. It is for businesses who feel their employees could benefit from the courses on offer and enhance their existing roles.

Chris continued: “Employers who invest in their staff and their continuing development are likely to retain more staff as well as future proof their business. We’d like to invite any individuals who are responsible for an organisation’s outputs or those who make decisions on what the future training needs of a business are to come along.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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