College facility built to meet demand for engineering apprentices

A new high-spec facility built by Warwickshire College Group at their Warwick Trident College will give the region greater capacity for engineers in its skilled workforce.

The £3 million building, jointly financed by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, through the Government’s Growth Deal, and Warwickshire College Group, is being created to meet huge demand and will open next month.

Apprentices for Jaguar Land Rover and SMEs across Coventry and Warwickshire will be taught in the new building with its industry-oriented learning environment. It includes specialist engineering workshops and 18 teaching, computer and specialist engineering technology labs tailored to the high quality courses demanded by industry.

Rachael Stewart, of the Jobs & Skills Business Group at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said the centre was being built to cope with a 350 per cent growth in demand for engineering apprenticeships at Warwickshire College Group since 2010.

She said: “This is the first Skills Capital project funded by the CWLEP and we are extremely proud of the new building.

“One of the main focus areas for the CWLEP is reducing the skills gap and this year there is at least a 20 per cent increase from 2013 needed by employers for engineering apprentices.

“Coventry and Warwickshire is renowned across the world for advanced manufacturing and engineering and this building in Warwick will help to train the next generation of apprentices to learn the skills they need.

“The first intake of apprentices will be focused on drivetrain engineering and product design and the CWLEP is delighted to be supporting a new apprenticeship centre through our Skills Capital budget and the Growth Deal which is designed to unlock growth and development.”

Angela Joyce, Group Principal and Chief Executive of the Warwickshire College Group, said the demand to enrol on full-time engineering courses at the Warwickshire College Group was up by 20% from 2013.

She said: “Jaguar Land Rover is experiencing significant growth and their apprentices at the centre will be working towards different levels whether it is a three or four-year apprenticeship programme or a six-year degree apprenticeship. We are delighted to be working with JLR who are an excellent partner and to be able to support their business growth.

“Just as importantly we are working with SMEs to support their skills requirements; the new Warwick Trident College development will support both global companies and local businesses of all sizes in the region.”

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, CWLEP board director and leader of Warwickshire County Council, said this was the kind of project which the Growth Deal was designed to set-up.

“It is vital we address the skills gap in Coventry and Warwickshire particularly in the engineering sector,” she said. "This new apprenticeship centre will have a major part to play in teaching the practical skills which employers need and it is fantastic to see the building taking shape.”

Photo from left: John Vickery (Warwickshire College Group), Rachael Stewart (Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership), Angela Joyce (Warwickshire College Group) and Cllr Izzi Seccombe (Warwickshire County Council)